


Humbling the Uchiha: Temples & Shinobi

by Ovidae



Series: Humbling The Uchiha Chronology [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Academy, Action, Adventure, BAMF, Hate, Healing, Heroes, Love, Past, Philosophy, Swords, Uchiha, Uchiha Sasuke-centric, comingofage, cursing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-08-09 23:41:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 32,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16459289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ovidae/pseuds/Ovidae
Summary: A year after a desk job and release from jail, Sasuke vows to take revenge on Konoha and its people. Learning of Kisaragi Kennin's involvement in the Uchiha massacre, Sasuke shows up at Kennin's temple to find peace, purpose and most of all, a sensei whom he doesn't want to kill. Sasuke-centric. Future SasuHina- Book 2





	1. Maketh Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke learns who killed 14 Uchiha

**Summary:**  A year after a desk job and release from jail, Sasuke vows to take revenge on Konoha and its people. Learning of Kisaragi Kennin's involvement in the Uchiha massacre, Sasuke shows up at Kennin's temple to find peace, purpose and most of all, a sensei whom he doesn't want to kill. Sasuke-centric. Future SasuHina- Book 2

 **Pairings** : Onesided Sasuke/Tenten. Future Sasuhina (Book 2)

 **A/N-**  Hello. I wanted to make a Sasuke centric story about his path to peace with an OC. Uh. Sasuke has his arm. Uh. Yeah. No one except for Tenten comes along liiike way later. And I started writing this bc did Sasuke really have a sensei in his life? And it's funny to imagine him in a library, hating books and whatever. Will probably be updated frequently bc Idk, I like writing this one. :)

 _Chapter theme song_ : Let Me Alone- Moow.

* * *

Book 1

**Humbling the Uchiha:**  
**Temples & Shinobi**

Chapter 1  
-Maketh Me-

* * *

WHO AM I? WHAT MAKETH ME?

I pause, stop reading and chuck the book at the wall.

I'm done. No matter how hard I try, visually, the book won't combust and I sigh. This is bullshit.

My life is bullshit. I don't have meaning. My clan's gone, Sakura won't fucking look at me and I'm whining, like a little bitch in the middle of the saddest place on earth.

Fuck. I'm weak and in a library.

Whenever I don't work, Shiho has all the fucking permission in the world to hit me which is bullshit. I've been emasculated and stripped of my basic freedom.

I found a nice cushion of century-old scrolls to ruin. On a cart, I swing my legs over the ledge and read.

We're not allowed to read or look at the books we're dealing with in the library.

The boredom makes everything volatile. I used to hate normal people but I'm gladder when they enter the library. They're new and different from the archetypal unimaginative, dull, cold and snotty librarians I have to suffer through.

Shiho hates when I enjoy myself. When I have fun, it's time for her to cut down anything that happens.

She's my jailer. A keeper. Freedom thief. I've watched horror battles, imagining she's the victim of the sword the enemy's fed her flesh. It helps.

Shiho pokes her head into the librarian office, where I am doing a stake-out. She frowns immediately when she sees me.

"I thought I smelled sloth and laziness in here," she rolls her eyes and steps into the office.

First of all, that's impossible and second of all, that's one mighty nose, one I should liken to a dog. Does Shiho want to play fetch? Or I dunno, play outside of my personal orbit of five meters?

I stare at her, her lab-coat, her thick round spectacles, and her thumbs sticking out of her pockets while her fists are bunched up. I wonder if she thinks she's changed the world with putting away books and labeling things that kids won't ever care about.

"Ah, ha, ha. Shiho, you should give yourself a raise for that joke," I say drily.

Shiho looks like she will murder me, and that glimpses over her expression. I take it all in like a good malt liquor that's been made just for me. It would be an honor to die instead of listening to her today.

Shiho sighs, her pencil-thin brows a line of anger and a sentence of pure hatred. "I have no patience for you today," Shiho snaps, tapping her sandaled foot rapidly.

I wince. "Then can I come back tomorrow? Wait it out?"

She punches the nearby metal cart and it dents. Papers go flying everywhere during that furor. Her glasses slide down on the long bridge of her snub nose.

Was the tray supposed to be my face?

Ouch.

"Sasuke! You are not allowed to read on the job! You're meant to shelf these books." Shiho, whose hair is a blonde, frizzed mess shouts at me.

"I didn't know having this job, at the library, meant you weren't allowed to enjoy the wonders of books. Seems quite  _ironic_ ," I point out.

"None of that smart-ass stuff today, Uchiha. You have to work!" yells Shiho.

They act like I got a degree in this or that I had formal training. I didn't. I'm on parole. It's volunteer hours. I haven't been paid a dime for any of this work.

Kakashi said I would learn a thing or two about patience. I have; I'll wait for the most opportunistic moment to savagely murder Shiho.

"Kakashi-sensei needs you to co-operate and do what he told you to!" Shiho says.

Kakashi sentenced me to acute ANBU and library work under Shiho. I forgot her last name.

Everything went well in ANBU.

I did a couple of missions. I killed a few pimps, I even got a clap on the back from my squad leader when the whole entirety of the ANBU force shunned me, saying I did a good job.

It's the first time I've gotten a compliment from a sensei. One that wasn't glazed in obsession (Orochimaru, Sakura, Ino) or one that wasn't disingenuously indifferent (Kakashi, Iruka, Third Hokage).

It made me feel good, to serve something to take my mind off of death and surrendering on a warpath.

Then, I fucked up and killed a teammate during a mission. Now I am in this prison with moldy books, vanilla-smelling tattooed trees.

Books smell burnt and old. I characterize them as smoky, and that makes me indeed saddened.

Anyway, Shiho was assigned to me. Apparently, she is teaching the art of getting by on being a controlling mothball! Shiho did teach me the mechanisms of being a librarian. I hate that I know over two hundred authors by heart.

No kid wakes up wanting to be a librarian. They grow into that mindset. They need to  _stop_.

"Why don't you leave me alone and do your job? I like reading," I sneer.

"You know what, it's a wonder you could read," says Shiho, crossing her arms.

My mouth becomes cotton dry and I glare at her. "I was the top student of our year, that includes you in my year, Shiho, who I don't remember getting the appraisal and academic awards."

Her cheeks redden. I expect the lenses to fog up with how much she's steaming. "You are despicable. The only reason I was assigned to you-"

"Was because you botched one of the most important cryptographic projects of the century. You botched it and many of your team's men died. Bad call," I shrug.

"The village-"

"The village got bombed, decimated because of your error along with your own sensei; Iruka. He died because of you!"

Shiho almost buckles. The line of her shoulders become stiff and the corner of her lips turn down. "How did you know that?"

"Uchiha know how to read the situation and scrolls, for your information," I roll my eyes. "Bottom line, don't act like you are better when we're both  _scum_."

"I am better and it wasn't my fault."

"It was. Now you are punished for it. This is the body of Konoha and you killed cells, organs maybe and now we're tumors Kakashi wants to decide if we're malignant or benign. We haven't killed the system but we sure as hell wounded everyone, people we can't get back. That's why we're in this brick and mortar prison. All the important stuff is in another room, with other people and shinobi who are trustworthy and noncriminals, that's why I am here- jailed with you."

Shiho gasps, furious. Her mouth opens and closes a few times, like a gaping fish with trembling limbs.

"You think you know everything, right?" she questions, voice shaking with anger.

"Pretty much," I whisper lightly because I know she'll implode if I say I do.

Truth is, I don't know everything. No one does. I know nothing of how the world works, what Sakura likes to eat for dinner and why Kakashi vowed to save me.

A rueful smile covers her lips and she points at me, her voice husky and low. "Uchiha- we're stuck together for a long time. I am a cause of your unhappiness, aren't I?"

There are a lot of things that simultaneously make me want to kill myself but Shiho isn't at the top of my list.

I narrow my eyes.

What is she getting at  _anyway_? What the hell is she saying? Women don't like to admit they're wrong and she's giving in to her fault.

It's so unlike her repressive, prideful self. She's also spiteful. Like me. I wonder if she's bad like me.

Her voice becomes a lightning strike. "And the massacre is one too."

Wha-

Her rueful smile becomes one wolfish sneer, rubber lips pulled back. Her nails claws and her eyebrows bristly.

Kill her. My blood's boiling. Kill her, it becomes a mantra. For my safety and hers, kill her. The knife I have behind the boxy computer could work.

I stand up, feeling a thousand licks of cowhide on my back. Every wound,  _fresh_. I still grieve for my clan in ways I shouldn't. Ways I want to.

And she's bringing up the murder of my people casually, with a smile. What kind of psychopath is she?

What kind of  _death_  does she want?

My right-hand sparkles with the buildup of lightning. I should kill her.

But with the way her body is rigid, her authority filled stance and her lip's twitching with unsaid words fighting that thin barrier to get out - _escape_ \- I know, she knows something.

Something she won't tell me.

"Do you want to know something about how your brother mercilessly murdered every single clan member of your people without leaving anyone to spare? How were you the only prick survivor who dragged your family name through the mud? You're also ignorant to what actually happened?" she asks, malicious.

I stand up, my sharingan glowing, the rinnegan ready for action. She isn't even fazed. "What about the massacre aren't you telling me?" I ask, loud and strong.

Her lip flinches.

"My curiosity is the only reason you're alive, Shiho. Don't be stingy," I hiss, "or  _stupid_."

Shiho pauses a moment then turns stiffly, her actions as sharp and frigid as razor blades.

"Follow me," she says.

I do.

We weave through tall shelves with leather perfumes, around carts and normal civilians. Her stride is confident and I wonder what she's getting at. People nod and greet Shiho, no one has said hello to me in the month that I've been here.

We make it to an old antechamber that had a locked door. She unlocks the door and pockets the key, they jingle with every step inside.

The immediate scent of secrets and dust hit me. It's musty; smells like wood and smoke like the forest does after a lengthy rain pour.

Shiho hums an innocently childish song as she rummages around in the dark until she pulls a string to a lamp that illuminates the whole room.

"Libraries give the average person knowledge and knowledge is power. It is also death for some." Shiho says.

Shiho suddenly smiles, all proud with white teeth and red lips. She looks human again.

"I am a professional librarian, shinobi, cryptographer, and researcher. I'm also a historian."

I'm biting my tongue and holding back a lot of jutsu that want to kill her. "Okay. Stop reading me your resume and get to the point," I snap. With that, I allow the Chidori to shine brilliantly in the otherwise somber atmosphere.

"Patience, Uchiha," she clicks her tongue warningly. "I deal with the most mundane of tasks and the most sensitive of information. I'm also a gifted decoder on the cryptanalyst team."

She pulls out an ancient box and places on the desk we previously approached. She runs a hand over the worn edges, gazing at it with affection.

"Here are files that are sacred to the library... some of the council hasn't ever seen. That I've decoded. About you. About what happened that night of the Uchiha downfall."

I raise my brow, cautious. "Me?" I ask.

My heart's in my throat. I'm all-marble smooth on the inside but volcanic bubbles of toxins are rumbling.

What the fuck is she not telling me?

I reach for the box but she steps in front of it, of me to block the information that might just change my whole life.

"Move," I growl.

She clicks her tongue again. "I've been relentlessly tortured by your quirks, your cold personality, and your honest sarcasm for two months. One thing before I give the list to you. I do not like you, I wish to run you over with a library cart or my summons so you would just shut up, for once."

Ouch. A library cart is provably harmless.

"I've discovered, once I was sent to do research on you, the theory of cursed hatred and your history when you came to work under me. I found that many other people don't like you. They also, on that list, organized the coup. Or at least knew about it."

She shoves a profile at me. "All this happened a year or two before the massacre."

I know everything there is to know about the massacre. Why is she showing me this now? I gaze at her then read, my gaze focused on the three odd photos beside blocks of text.

 **_Name: Den Inoue_ **  
**_Age: 16_ **  
**_Blood type: A_ **  
**_Rank:_ ** **_Chūnin_ **  
**_No spouse_ **

**_Name:_ ** **_Hiraki_ ** **_Ataki_ **  
**_Age: 25_ **  
**_Blood Type:_ ** **_AB_ **  
**_Rank: Jonin_ **  
**_Married to:_ ** **_Remi_ ** **_Yamanaka_ **

**_Name:_ ** **_Kennin_ ** **_Kisaragi._ **  
**_Age: 28_ **  
**_Blood Type: O Neg._ **  
**_Rank:_ ** **_Jōnin_ **  
**_Married to: Gina Kisaragi_ **

Why is she showing me this?

"Why did you... decode this?" I ask, my strange eyes roaming her face, searching for something.

"Keep reading," Shiho smirks, crossing her arms, all smug.

 **_Convict: Den Inoue_ **  
**_Crime: Vandalism on the Uchiha gate_ **  
**_Sentence: No jail time/Fine_ **

**_Convict:_ ** **_Hikari_ ** **_Ataki_ **  
**_Crime: Assaulting an Uchiha at the Kenji Bar_ **  
**_Sentence: No jail time/Fine_ **

I feel hot, my muscles coiled up and tense.

 **_Convict:_ ** **_Kennin_ ** **_Kisaragi_ **  
**_Crimes: Killing 14 Uchiha_ **  
**_Sentence: No jail time/Fine_ **

I finally look at the title:  _Crimes against Uchiha._

I step back, looking at all these finds. "What? What is this?" I say, staring and my heart speeds up.

Shiho smiles. "You know the saying; the real heroes don't wear capes?"

She thinks that he's a hero? This-  _this_  murderer? He killed fourteen people of my clan and she is in crazy town, trying to get elected mayor of insanity.

"That man, Kennin, got an applause from the whole of the government," Shiho tells me.

And my world fucking drops on its head.

_Oh._

Did Shiho get alternative facts from an alternative universe? Why does she think the death of fourteen Uchiha as a good thing? Now lives don't matter because they're apart of the Uchiha bloodline...

Kami, there are corrupt people everywhere. She deserves to die. Everyone... everyone hates me.

This realm- this mutable treatment of the Uchiha is fueled by people like her. All my brothers and sisters- my people were killed by bigots like Shiho.

The reaction to this- she's my boss and horribly against me. Us. And we're all dead.

I am shaking with restraint, my fist clenched and my gaze fixed on the occasional flyaway strands of blondeness she has.

"Kennin Kisaragi? Why weren't any of these people tried for their crimes?" I ask through gritted teeth.

She frowns a bit. "Because of Danzo. All these men were ROOT, under his rule and let free."

What did everyone else do about it? Nothing? There's no sympathy for people who got killed? Is being heartless a precondition to being a Konohagakure resident? Are Uchiha not even two-fifths human?

No wonder we became prone to lashing out... becoming phobic.

She's talking but I can't hear any of it?

"What happened to 'em instead?" I ask lowly, putting the file down.

It's burned in my memory.

In the world of the past, the prohibition of freeing Uchiha in Konoha was just... blasphemy.

Danzo didn't believe they were crimes and someone who had that kind of pull and strength is hard to say 'no' to.

I've never hated Danzo or society more in my life.

Shiho waves one her finger in my face. "Two of the tree are dead. Kennin Kisaragi's alive..." Shiho tells me, her hip against the table.

Oh. That's good news. Well, not for  _Kennin_.

Shiho gives me an imploring look. "What are you going to do about this?"

"Nothing," I say.

That makes her tremble, standing straight and tall with goosebumps.

My volume is controlled and I am not even being vulgar but she's spooked, dismayed and gaping at me.

I am not... going to use any means of force. I shake my head and walk away. This is insane. This is insane.

Kennin is alive but I don't know where he is or how he got away with his vicious crimes.

I will avenge those fourteen Uchiha. Or at least get him behind bars. I can't fucking do that in a library.

* * *

I've been laying on my bed, a pillow over my ears. If I do nothing, I'll become nothing and nothing will hurt me.

Not my past. Not my future. Not my  _thoughts_.

From that standstill I experienced two days ago, I haven't left my fucking house. My arm trembles.

I want to die, I want to live, I want to hate and I want blood.

Red. Like the color of my sharingan. I can't decide what to do, what to say, where to look.

And Naruto's bothering me.

"Sasuke! SASUKE! I know you're in there- come out!" Naruto yells from outside over the hammering rain.

"Shut up!" I yell.

I throw a pillow at the window, trying to get Naruto to just leave. He won't.

I hate the incessant sound of him tapping on my window and I sit up, crying out in anger.

Leave me alone, will you?

I'm currently staying in the former home of Aia, an Uchiha who used to babysit for Itachi and I when Itachi did his ROOT duties.

My house is too big. And arguably haunted.

Aia's old apartment is minute and small, just tiny enough to soothe my fears. I hate wide, open spaces. They make me feel like the bloodlust is going to close in on me, a perfect place for enemies to attack. This makes me feel safe, oddly enough.

"I'm out here in the fuckin' rain. Sasuke-teme, everyone's freaking worried about you. What the hell are you doing all alone?" Naruto hollers.

"Leave me alone, Naruto," I say, loudly. Again.

"I won't leave! Y'know, I won't!" he bangs on the cracking glass.

I roll out of bed.

Bright, sunshining Naruto is using a bunch Kage Bunshin to prop himself up, next to the window.

First, it started with a doorbell or two ringing, then he threw pebbles and he summoned Kage Bunshin as stepping stools, looking into my apartment like a fucking creep!

I have to give him an A for effort but an F for timing. I just want to be alone. Can that be accessible? For once?

His fat face presses against the window, his clothes thick with water and his breath fogging up the glass, hair matted against his forehead.

"I'll break the window if you don't," Naruto threatens.

I actually consider the circumstances. He would break the window just because he has no sense of holding back. Besides, it would be nice to get some stuff off of my chest.

I groan and get out of bed. I let him in.

"Thanks for letting me in. Very kind of you, Uchiha," Naruto says, scratching the back of his neck and grinning.

"Don't flatter yourself, I didn't want any broken windows," I shake my head, going up the stairs to the second floor.

"Being in the Uchiha compound gives me the creeps. Why do you stay in here?"

It's not a ghost town. Well- I mean, it's not supposed to be one.

"Where else would I stay?" I snap.

Unlike everyone else, Naruto never responds to my anger with anger. He stays cool, unhit by my temper or lashing out.

He chuckles. "In a real house with a roof and heating. Hina-chan's floors heat up when it senses pressure. This junk house wouldn't ever do that. It's falling apart! You're gonna die from exposure and the cold," he shudders.

"Let me be, mother goose," I hiss.

"Hey! Don't call me mother goose!" Naruto hisses back, crossing his arms.

"Who's 'Hina-chan'?" I question lightly.

"Sakura's friend. I mean, we haven't talked very much but she invited me for ramen, and we ate. It got cold and shitty outside so we had cocoa in the Hyuuga manor, which was huge."

"Oh. A  _date_?"

"Don't say it like that!" he growls, blushing, blinking furiously. "It wasn't a date! And I couldn't take her anywhere nice 'cause I'm not rolling in it like you are." he shrieks. "Actually, none of us are rich and teme, you quit your job at ANBU."

"ANBU is better off," I tsk, looking off to the side.

They are. They perform better when they're not under the pressure and threat of me killing all of them. I'm a grenade, out to bomb any good thing that's nice.

"You got your left arm, didn't you?" Naruto says lowly. "They're not all terrible. They're serving Konoha, keepin' everyone safe."

They don't know right from wrong. They're despicable! I refuse to be there! Or at the library!

I roll my eyes at him. "Don't you get it, I have a legacy of hatred... I'm surrounded by documents and theories of why my clan is so damn fucked up! I don't need that around me!"

"Not everyone thinks your legacy is of hatred," Naruto says lowly.

"I've done more than enough to deserve it..."

"You could leave a different legacy, one that'd make yourself proud because no one can please you... For one, I don't remember you as a legacy of hatred. Sakura-chan doesn't. Why won't you call Sakura-chan? She'll tell you the same!"

"Leave Sakura out of it!"

"Out of what?" Naruto quirks an eyebrow upwards, already aggressive.

I hurt her too much already. She doesn't need to deal with my bullshit. "It's none of her business," I say lowly.

Naruto furrows his blonde brows and points to me. "Kakashi's said you're acting erratic and crazy. What's going on with you?"

"Nothing!" I snap.

"Nothing is always, always something when it comes to you! Sasuke- you're so  _quiet_ , what's wrong with you, today?" Naruto asks.

I lift an eyebrow to him. For these last few days, I've been pretending to be air. A witness to all my pain, feeling the wavelengths and currents of suffering.

I don't have anyone to stand up for me. Defend me. I've fucked up with everyone I freaking know. There's this pain howling loudly in my soul. There's nothing to do.

I don't know what to do.

"I would sit down, so I could wait till you confess, but you broke all your damn furniture," Naruto sighs, blue eyes scanning the meager apartment.

It's true. I fucked with my furniture, my table is split in half, all my cups and plates are broken so I haven't drunk or tasted food in the last two days.

I wonder if Aia is shaking her head from the grave. Uh, my  _bad_. I had nothing to hit and inanimate objects are pretty swell for target practice.

Naruto looks at me and sighs. "What've you been fighting? You're not with ANBU and you don't take missions anymore. What the hell have you been spending your time doing?"

He crouches down and picks up the chunk of broken glass laying limp nearby.

"You haven't been eating because you broke all your damn plates. China is expensive. Why break everything?" he eyes me and inspects the old, cracked cup. "Sakura-chan liked this mug. Why've you broken it?"

"Because that's what I do," I yell.

"That's not an answer," Naruto growls.

"Well, it's the only fucking one I got for you!"

Naruto straightens his spine and pockets the glass. "She puts medicine in these. To heal people. Heal you! Why didn't you accept it? Teme, you can't keep running away from her love."

"I can't accept it either! What the hell am I supposed to do, Naruto?!"

What am I supposed to say? I'd rather be silent than say something I'd regret.

Darkness casts a shadow over his face and he, for the first time, scowls at me. "You're supposed to man up and let her be there for you. Let her in, let her read in the library you work at instead of hiding away in gloom and doom, alright? When are you gonna move on from that and let her take care of you? Let me be your friend?"

I stay silent. This is too much. The heart behind the accusations is so... Potent. True. I am not even mad...

I'm fucking furious.

"I'm gettin' real tired of you feeling sorry for yourself!" Naruto huffs.

"Then why do you talk to me? You know what I am, you know how I live. So why, Naruto, do you bother?" I ask quietly, venom in my voice.

He sighs and turns around, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Call me when you aren't brooding. Alright? You know where to go and where I'll be." he says, not looking back.

He doesn't wait for an answer.

His slow steps tell me he didn't hesitate to slam the door.

It leaves me in silence. Pure and utter silence. Hours pass and I have no idea whether or not to actually do something about what Naruto said.

* * *

I make my way towards the developed restaurant. A majority of every day, I'd rather hide away and not be in the presence of anyone who breathes.

Naruto is an exception.

I'm a shadow to his light but he's responsible for ninety percent of the laughs that came out of the hollow cave of joy. To find me.

We're so freaking different. He likes being the center of attention. It works that way... He never got attention as a kid... And he's a hero.

I should see Naruto there, make it a point to say that he's a friend. Somewhat. A treasured acquaintance, if you will.

I need to ask him about my plan for revenge on Kennin. Should I do anything?

He'll show me a good, moral path to tread on. He'll stop me from what I think I will do.

What I want to do.

In the rain, I know it's shady as fuck but I stand around the corner to Ichiraku Ramen. Hidden by a cloud of mist and genjutsu, my chakra is sealed well enough Naruto can't sense me.

There aren't any windows and the stools are bright and neon in the wet night. The swooping tarp covers the open-counter system. This way, you could talk and watch the cook make your food.

It's very personal. Despite being a ramen stand, it seems like home for Naruto and Sakura...

Sakura can't sense me either... I didn't think I would have to find her here.

Jealousy creeps up on me, like a spider on its spindly webs trying to eat my insides.

I'm a witness to the love that goes around me but not to me.

Her chakra feels weird, more inviting with Naruto than it feels with me. Does making him happy make Sakura happy? He's made her laugh about fifteen times when all she does is look at me like a fucking drowned bird.

It's better when we talk and quiet when we don't. Sakura is so eager to speak to me, it's insane. Getting undivided attention is something he's always wanted, and he's normal for wanting that.

And he's getting it.

I wonder if it's platonic then I think if it wasn't- it wouldn't make sense and I would still stick my hand up his arse then shove his front teeth out.

Then I think, I have no fucking right to think of it like that... Her like that.

Wouldn't Naruto be better?

I retreat into the shadows, the rain, the hurt and everything that has to do with them. Fuck Naruto. Fuck Sakura and Naruto. Fuck Konoha...

All I ever get is the betrayal. All those Uchiha got betrayed by this very government.

I can't look at Kakashi knowing he may have known about this attack. He briefly mentioned working with Itachi, and he couldn't stop anyone.

I can't trust anyone.

I agreed to getting my left arm back so I could serve Konoha from the shadows. I don't want to serve Konoha, it's just I couldn't leave Konoha without doing this mandatory work. I was never named jonin, it was heavily implied though, and I hadn't gone through any exams.

This was the only way I was to get clearance to do high-level missions if Naruto wasn't there.

I wanted to travel a lot, have a better view of my surroundings after wasting away in that prison cell I've memorized. I want to try out my rinnegan in a positive way without hurting anyone.

Alas, I'm here, with a junk arm I don't deserve, cuts that I never wanted to be healed and the rage that is all too present. I'm fucking killing myself here.

I'm a prisoner in jail that no one can see and it's alright with everyone.

It keeps me here... for Naruto, as his best friend. It makes him feel better. Sakura can keep me at arm's length.

I- I just don't know what the hell to do.

I walk past the Kenji bar and set it aflame. I should burn every enemy of the Uchiha.

I guess that's only me... left to do the job.

* * *

Large gusts of sweeping wind warn me not to come forward. The lightning illuminates the street, with one symbolic lamppost shining down the cobblestone path.

If you must injure someone you must cut where it shall bleed the most; the family. The most limbs. Most stopped hearts. Most voices to scream with.

This home has lives. His family. The wife still lives here. Gina Kisaragi.

On the file Shiho showed me, her address was plopped in the corner.

If Shiho were smarter or the very least  _concerned_  for what I would do once I learned of the treachery, she would've changed the address.

Besides, this may just be some sick joke. Shiho wouldn't take pride in false information when reality aches so much more...

The reality is Kennin will die and everyone will mourn.

The wife is bound to know the man she married. That is how it's meant to be, right?

Love leaves a permanent mark- through children, a kiss on the forehead and the faint scent of flowers at graves.

Criminals leave trails of bodies. They also have things they want to  _protect_.

It's odd that criminals start families in the first place. I have to start a family to pass on the sharingan and train the next generation of people but... The rule still applies to me.

Besides, he's had his happiness when fourteen of my brethren died because of his hatred.

He could die. He will die. I will take revenge and deal with the sour consequences.

I knock the door.

She wasn't as old as I assumed she would be when she opens the door.

Mid-thirties, brilliant gray eyes framed by jet black hair. Her skin was dark, like chocolate, but shining with some hint of danger.

The smell of hearth floats to my nose. Dinner. She's cooking. A smear of flour stains her kimono sleeves. Kidney beans are on the stove, cooking in low heat, along with the water she soaked them in.

She seems unimpressed by the appearance of me. I'm unimpressed by her choices in men.

"Oh. Uchiha-san. I've always dreaded the day you would come to my door," Gina says lowly.

The thunderclaps, rumbling the sodden ground with frightening vibratos.

"Your husband. Where is he?" I ask, my voice quiet and even.

A flicker of doubt passes over her features. "Which one?" Gina asks.

I nearly attack her. Which one? My body strains for my bloodlust is too intense and strong.

What does she mean which one? Is she an adulterous bitch?

My hand doesn't carry a sword. My mind is clear but my heart doesn't say a single thing.

"Kennin Kisaragi," I spit the words out.

"I haven't heard that bastard's name in years," she shivers a bit, her aura dark and rage-filled. "We're  _divorced_."

"How can I trust that?"

"I know why you're here and what you would do if I lied. Besides, I would hand  _him_  to you myself."

I listened to her heartbeat, it was steady and calm. The heart of a liar would pound before eventually slowing down.

"Why betray him?" I ask.

"You don't understand how betrayal and love are the same things to him. He's a fool who only cares about a sword and his  _cult_."

I sigh, my cloak covering my limbs trembling with restraint. "Where's your current... husband?"

She sighs a breath of relief, happy to be talking of something else, someone else she liked. "At work. He's a shinobi. You heard of Ibiki?"

I narrow my eyes. "You got married to the think tank?"

She chuckles, but it sounds like a demon clawing out from hell rather than joy and bells.

"He reminds me of safety and dandelions." she shrugs.

I remember long nights with Ibiki in my memories, in my head trying to make me feel worse pain than my mental anguish.

He combed through my psyche and was reported to have cursed at the things he found, kind of traumatized.

That made me feel honored. Who else would've gone crazy with my memories? I'm the strength. In my mind and body. I'm the  _strength_.

Well- she's useless to me and I need to interrogate her. Through any means possible.

Shit. The two kids are at the top of the staircase that I can see from here.

Then tumbling down the stairs. Small feet. Small quantities of chakra. Oh. She has kids with Ibiki. Two... I didn't want the kids to see this.

The younger, more hyper one's eyes shine ."Mama- mama, who's at the- _oh_."

One is somber and steady with her brown hair and the other is a bald child with beady brown eyes and his mother's soul.

"He has fruit eyes. Isn't that cool?" the youngest kid squeals. "Hiii!" he waves.

"The coolest." the brother grimaces, annoyed.

"Ah. Kids, go to your rooms. I have a visitor to entertain."

The kids run off and go upstairs, the eldest kid throwing a forlorn, warning look at me.

I respond with my sharingan sparkling red and my bloodlust-tainted chakra pulsing through the air.

He scampers up to his room with the resolute, loud slam of the door.

Gina clicks her tongue. "Don't scare-"

My anger's a red-eyed demon and it blinks at her aggression.

I reach out to her throat and hold her up, my hands wrapped around her neck.  _Choking_  her.

"Will you make your children motherless or will you answer the questions?" I say lowly, her legs kicking in the air as she's suspended at the moment.

She's powerless, her nails pressing into my sleeve for a fight to breathe.

She hangs, turning purple. I smile. It's such a strange shade when they're in the highs and lows of death.

I'm powerful with my thumb pressing against her larynx, the twitching muscles, and veins that want to live.

She wants to live.

And I need her right now.

"Visitor? You imply that I'm going to leave. I know one of us will leave, either by feet or tombs," I whisper into the dark abyss of her hair.

I drop her and she's a bag of struggles. She coughs for air and life substance. On the floor, withering, Gina shakes her head.

I crouch down, eye to eye with her. A trail of saliva is on the corner of her lip. Her eyes water n her violent spouts for air.

"Your life depends on my satisfaction with your answers. On my mood. Remember that," I say, caressing hair out of her bloodshot eye.

She flinches as her soft skin quivers under my touch. "You'll live long enough for your rage to fade," she holds her bruised neck. "If they're all like you, a sweet serial killer, they should have died."

Her words crawl over me. You know, ignorance is often shared by married couples... For some reason, idiots breed. A black fire burns in my gut. Same propaganda shit. I wonder how great killing Kennin will be.

I slap her, clean across the face. "Don't ever say I won't avenge their deaths. I should kill you, as a show of my resolve."

"I never said I was the one dying..." Gina says and gets up, smoothing out the crinkled folds of her kimono.

Hn. Another subtle threat.

"Come in, take off your shoes, dinner's ready," she says, walking away to serve me.

I pause. This isn't how it goes. She's supposed to be begging for her life. Supposed to be dead by now.

It intrigues me, I could play with this toy a bit longer. And I move forward.

* * *

We sit at a table, dinner that was meant for a king and her kids was given to me. Swords are everywhere, paper memories of the kids too. Toys litter the elegant scene. It's unexpected.

Five-star meal. The aroma is enticing. A bowl of rice and different side dishes fit for a king.

Kidney beans lay, special and creamy in its bowl. The vegetables are crisp and wonderful sautéed, the chicken is grilled to the max and all of it is mouth-wateringly good.

And I am almost positive that all of it is poisoned.

I take a bite and savor the taste. I eat the kidney beans with gusto and drink the water.

Gina shrieks. "Uchiha- do you  _want_  to die?" Gina widens her eyes.

Oh, now she's concerned?

"Don't worry. I've trained myself. I'm immune to your petty poisons." I say, swallowing before speaking.

Her eyes are tight with fury and her jaw is slack.

I eye the bean, using my chopsticks to inspect the impeccable sauce. "Phytohaemagglutinin found in uncooked kidney beans can make cell membranes permeable, triggering cell mitoses, allowing unwanted things in. If I were normal I would lose control of my bodily functions."

Gina nods, frantic and ready to be a rain pour of apologies and I dunno, pleads to spare her life.

"The beans are soaked in salted water, for at least five hours before cooking," I pause, watching her rosy lip twitch and tremble.

I quench my thirst. "Cooks throw away the water. Well, usually." I set the cup down.

"The water you're drinking..." she falters.

"Yes. The water I consume is the water you soaked the beans in." I shrug.

Her eyes have this odds way of twitching...

I smirk. "You can't kill me. Your life depends on my mood. A normal person would be another body, but now... other Uchiha blood would've the Kisaragi's hands."

She stutters as she reaches to pull away from my vicious meal. "Sorry..."

"No, you're not." I pull the plate back. "I want this."

"Why?" she gasps. "You Uchiha are hard to kill!"

"You are a cook, a talented one at that. It tastes good, because of your efforts to kill me and mask the poisons makes the dish. Why are you so indifferent to death? Poison. Fighting. Mental games. They all are useless in the prowess of my sharingan and rinnegan," I shake my head.

"The average shinobi complete around one hundred and fifty missions in their lengthy, albeit precarious lifetime. If you're ANBU, a direct arm of the Hokage, you complete less than three hundred. I've been on too many missions to think my life is any more than a tool for the village. I can't fear death and death doesn't control me." Gina smiles. "My need for life doesn't control me either."

That is exactly how I think about life but I've been told I am extremely manic and suicidal. She doesn't fit my bill of what means insanity.

And she has kids.

She does know sacrifice. And sacrifice is different from what she's saying. I don't know how but something is off with her.

My eyes will be passed on, someday. I mean, if I find a girl who stands me long enough for me to have a wife. I don't know... I think the girl'll murder me before I could have a kid...

It's better not to think about my eternal celibacy.

"When you become a parent, you stop thinking of yourself and more for the betterment of your kin..." Gina finishes.

"You're not living for yourself. You're living for your children..." I say.  _Pathetic_ _._

"They're my precious family. We were nothing more than stepping stones and shiny playthings to Kennin in his politics. He was selfish. Not a good father."

"Selfish men are the strongest," I argue.

"Wrong. They are the most ruthless. His wanting to be Hokage spawned years of neglect and abuse. When the third was alive, Kennin gunned for the position but was turned down."

Kennin was strong enough to be Kage? How powerful was he? What did he do? What did he look like?

I want to fight him so badly.

"What stopped him from being Kage?" I narrow my eyes.

"His crimes against Konoha are atrocious. He also ran before he could be chosen..."

She's off about something. Those words come from a bitter wife who also wanted the power and control...

I think they had a child before he ran off to wherever. She wouldn't be bitching about him not being home enough or that he hasn't been a good enough father.

The kids she has now are too young for them to be Kennin's, I assume.

She stands up and returns with a flyer and a sword. The sword immediately strikes me as slender, tall, thin- enchanting.

"That's-" I start but I cut myself off.

Beautiful. I want to say but I can't sound awed at anything the enemy does. It's just three feet long, shining with expensive silver. Its size is ideal for battle and maneuverable.

Its handle is pure gold, laced with design and this blacksmith is talented.

"He made this. Yagami," Gina explains, noticing how I'm staring.

Arrow god or eight gods. The blacksmith named it correctly.

There are fire streaks all over the sword, ingrained and curling around its eight protruding branch-like prongs with a sharp tip.

If a shinobi cares about his sword, his chakra seeps into it, to reinforce the metallic, atomic bonds- fortifying it. Like a parent and a child, the sword must be nurtured and cleaned by someone who is experienced and smart.

This is the sword I am destined to kill him with. How I am going to find him. I will follow his chakra signature through storm, dryness, fire and the cold...

"Why did he leave it with you?" I ask because she's careless with handling it.

She chuckles darkly. "My wedding gift. I gave him my life and he gave me metal, essentially junk. It was a sign we wouldn't have lasted because he said this sword was priceless." Gina scoffs.

It looks priceless. Not all that glitters is gold...

She looks at the flyer and shoves it over to me. "This is their recruitment sheet he stole from a member of the Kuromiya. This may help you find him."

She gives me the flyer and it's over twenty years old. I know this because I've worked at the library and not every day was wasted hating everything.

A supposed ninja stands in front of a cartoon temple with a master at the front of his class and other shinobi wrapped in black uniform bowing at the base of a mountain. The sky is rose gold but the moon is an eye-grabbing silver.

He's treasured the Kuromiya this much? What are they? Why does she treat the flyer with disdain?

I point to the moon with my chopstick. "What is this?" I ask.

She drops her gaze, her tone hateful. "He joined a temple. They specialize in sword fighting. An elite organization academy for swordsmen all over the world, young and old."

"What is it called?" I ask, setting my chopsticks down.

"Kuromiya, the surrounding village people live and go to the Black Temple Academy. He has been obsessed with the cult  _Kuromiya_  since childhood. Something about his father abandoning his mother and family to be apart of the elites. He sacrificed time with us-  _me_ , his family to join them."

That's honorable. I respect a man who knows their priorities.

"What are the practitioners called?"

She sighs, like the thought of her ex-husband exhausted her. "Many call them Lotus Rock Crew and heir soldiers  _shinobi_. They are who engage in combat to protect the Black Temple Academy. They're a flower, full of life and elegance that protects the mountainous regions of Iwagakure from bandits and other perilous situations..."

I nod. She talks a lot but I ignore it, finishing my first home cooked meal in ages.

I guess I am going to Iwagakure... with  _yagami_  to kill Kennin.

Avenge the death of fourteen Uchiha.

And find peace.

* * *

-End Chapter-

 **Character Inventory & ** **Vocab**

 **Uchiha Sasuke** \- sharingan user, s-class Shinobi who seeks revenge on anyone against his ideals. He hates soybeans, worked at a Library and got a prosthetic arm after much complaint.  
**Kennin Kisaragi** \- killer of 14 Uchiha, expert swordsman, owner of yagami and a member of the Black Shrine. Was strong and notable enough to become a  
**Morino Gina** \- vengeful ex-wife of Kennin, mother of two children with Morino Ibiki and has a hatred for traitors.

**Vocab**

**Yagami** \- forged by Kennin Kisaragi, an eight-pronged sword with a golden handle. It glows red and blue depending on the morality of the actions Sasuke or any swordsman takes.  
**Kuromiya** \- the surrounding villagers and clan who practice in the Black Temple Academy and live in the region.  
**Black Temple Academy** \- where young people of all ages go to practice and perfect their swordsman skills. Also, to be spiritual.  
**Lotus Rock Crew or Shinobi** \- those who engage in combat to protect the Black Temple Academy.


	2. Strange Men

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke leaves Konoha

**Last time in Humbling The Uchiha:**

"What are the practitioners called?"

She sighs, like the thought of her ex-husband exhausted her. "Many call them Lotus Rock Crew. A flower, full of life and elegance that protects the mountainous regions of Tsuchigakure from bandits and other perilous situations..."

I nod. I guess I am going to Iwagakure... with Yagami to kill Kennin.

Avenge the death of fourteen Uchiha.

And find peace.

* * *

**Humbling**   **The**   **Uchiha** **:**  
**Temples** ** & ** **Shinobi**

-Chapter 2-  
Strange Men

* * *

 

**MARCH**

 

LOSING CONFIDENCE IS EASIER THAN GAINING ANY.

I wanted to leave a rose on Sakura's pillow then decided with two petals. A rose is too fucking romantic. Sakura slept with candles burning and the door is unlocked. She isn't afraid of dying, which is fucked up. I hadn't seen her directly since her impromptu date with Naruto.

Why is it when she's available, I'm always busy? It's a conflict in schedules and willingness on my part. Maybe I'm a pain in the ass.

Whatever. I'm pretty sure Naruto'll have better luck in the sack. It's best to abandon ship when there is water up to our pockets and hearts. Whatever.

Yagami, the sword, just doesn't seem to fit under my cloak.

This isn't great. This will never go great...

Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe I should turn backwards. I'm being a little bitch if I don't avenge my people. I was oddly purposeful and determined in the house, with hearth and you know, a lot of time.

My face feels raw and kind of itchy from shaving for the last time. I ate some rice, some cherry tomatoes and it was strange. I never noticed that my bathroom door was disproportionate to every other door on the house.

I make my bed, get the pills Tsunade gave me for the prosthetic arm, and swallow like three pills. That made everything that I saw have a texture.

I take my forehead protector and put it around my waist. I cleaned everything up and it looks perfect. I even left oranges and apples for the next time I come back.

My pack feels lead heavy but my spirits are high.

I have all my things. Swords. Kunai. Food. Medicine. Herbs. Three or four books and scrolls. Spare shoes. An extra cloak. Shinobi tools. Three knives for cooking. Money. Lots of money. A lighter and matches for when I am in Shimogakure. Damn wretched place.

I am ready to go. It isn't as hard or terrible as I assumed it to be.

But as I slip out of the house, I realize that I don't fucking want to go to Iwagakure.

It's a strange place, with odd people somewhere else! Iwagakure rains  _rocks_  and pebbles, too. When the wind from up north ruins shit, it blows in those fucking rocks and boulders.

I have to kill someone I have no idea is alive. Gina doesn't seem to be honest in any aspect of her miserable, harlot life. It's surprising she gave me information (which may be false) but it's still information. She wasn't afraid to die so that means she isn't afraid to really lie either.

Despite my grand shares of power, I would rather live a simple, low prolific life without the attention of others. Around me, it's easy to know that men are fickle and women- just stand... staring.

This is not only a bad idea- it's going to lead to me explaining how to get away with the murder of Kennin, a supposedly respectable man from Konoha- who was up there with Danzou and the third Hokage.

I can always come back to this ghost town if something goes wrong, right? That isn't a punishment...

The sky is clear, with no stars or clouds. It's perfectly dark and devoid of negatives or positives. The street is quiet since I am in the Uchiha district.

It feels like it's going to rain. It smells that way.

I stop in my tracks and look at the tall, two-story house. It's a simple house with simple designed but it makes it look homey. Comfortable.  _Warm._ Its paint is chipping off. It used to be a bright blue but the paint was eroded by the gentle rain. I guess everything eventually fades off.

The upstairs window is huge and allowed me to  _see_ the fireworks and observe the poking treetops of the Uchiha district. Not all of Konoha was destroyed during the Pain attack.

Someone stubborn buildings had charm and they stood tall, like my home. The roof leaked and the floors got slivers in my feet at times but it was nice. It gave me good memories.

However, I shouldn't keep close to anything or anyone or any house. I shouldn't let anything linger. That's a weakness.

I can't go back. I can't retreat. Coming back here without Kennin is surely letting a criminal go. I can't have a place to return to because that means failure. There is not supposed to be comfort or homes on my path.

Should I get rid of my ties, my bonds to Konoha? I have nowhere to return to if I can't avenge my people after death!

This is a great idea. I am capable of anything. I will cut my opponents into pieces. I don't need Konoha. I need justice for the fallen Uchiha. My brethren. I need this. I look up to the nasty atmosphere... This seems like a bad idea but I want to do it. Anything I set my mind to can't be... evil.

I throw my only match and stomp on it. I break the lighter and use my own power, my own flame and _mania_ to burn down my past. Absurdity became so lively. And the quiet is bitter medicine. I didn't reject the madness. I didn't reject sensibility. I'm cleansing myself of my past.

I wait until it is done the burning, so no one could  _stop_ it while I reminisce. Do I deserve to live with  _this?_  I have to take this burden. I have to kill to succeed. I can't have second thoughts.

By the time the home was nothing more than charcoal, a gnarled mess of metal beams and skeletonized floor plants, it had started raining.  _Hard._

It vibrates through me. The moment is venom and these vibrations are  _poisonous._ The moment feels medical and I could feel the strength coming back to me.

I get a kunai and cut myself. All my blood pours on the ground and through the blade. I promised. I promised something. I stick a kunai into the old beam that supported the house before my bonfire. It is a representation of the Uchiha's most popular jutsu and blood red eyes.

Goodbye... Uchiha. Mother. Father. Sooner or later, I was soaked. My body feels like a brick and my mind feels heavier than all my sins.

I get up, brush the spot off of my knees and trudge through the streets.

In between the dancing rain droplets, I see a woman, with two buns in her hair and the most terrified expression on her face. I pass her but her eyes are red from crying. All I could think is crying is weak. Those who cry are meant to feel pain. And I pass her.

I pass her out of the gates. Out of Konoha's forest. Out of Konoha's livelihood and lifestyle. Unceremoniously leaving my life in Konoha and unceremoniously possessed by the aspect of revenge and justice.

Vengeance and justice are sometimes the same things. People never see that. I hope they do soon. Or else they'll be blind forever.

I pass Sakura's window, she isn't looking through it. But if she had, and were there, I think I know the truth. I would leave anyway, again, without knocking her out.

It's time I left her alone. For good. I can't come back to this old place, and I will go down that old path out of Konoha.

I know perfectly well I can't leave her but I did. Someone else has a chance, so goodbye.

* * *

**JUNE**

The weather is  _sadistic._

During my three month trip through the elements, bandits and thieves and killing, one thing remained constant; the awfulness of the weather.

It didn't matter if you were a friend or a foe of the rain, the sun, the snow or the heat- your plans will be foiled by the weather.

It caused me to delay many trips and disfigures much of my luck- my sworn chance into being forgotten.

In the first week of traveling, I realized that however stupid (helpful) Gina was with her information, I couldn't find any, any trace of Kennin.

Yagami, out of the proximity of Gina, completely shut off. It was like using a block of wood to find a magnet.

Yagami was glorious. It doesn't have a certain aura or thirst for blood like my other swords. It's weighted, it's light and I think the design isn't too inconvenient.

I didn't have a sword after chukoto got damaged during the fourth war. It was upsetting, to be a swordsman without a sword. A weapon. It was like Naruto not having ramen. Incomplete.

The sword got me in trouble. The weather got me in trouble. The moon was always bright on my worse nights.

I won a challenge at a carnival. I stole from the boss because he was cocky and said I couldn't win an arm wrestle. I won but his entire caravan's infantry jutsu specialized in  _taking_  chakra. The moment we sat down, with everyone's hands holding me down with all their might, I lost my chakra.

The caravan captured me and dropped me in Sunagakure for a couple of weeks. In the harshness of the sun. In the mercy of the weather.

Now, freckles fucking appear whenever I'm in the sun for too long. And I'm not longer pale. You can no longer see my veins on my eyelids. I'm scared of skin cancer now, though.

I got carefully saved by a grandma who brought me to Iwagakure on her messenger animal. The grandma was a castle's lead maid or something.

I got involved with saving a princess from being poisoned. I was in the process of sleeping with her for a few moments until her Herculean husband popped through the door and essentially declared war on me.

Me against six thousand men. It wasn't fun but I hadn't killed less than half of them. I'm quite satisfied. It could have been a massacre.

There was a fight club I got trapped in with money reimbursements if you lost.

I went under the pseudonym of Kisho.

If I hadn't been named Sasuke, I would choose to be a Ryuu or a Kisho. Mostly a Kishi since it means one who knows his own mind. I want that. Maybe the name would grant me special powers and I would miraculously know right from wrong.

I got a lot of money and also lost a lot of money.

Gambling is man's worst enemy. A demon, if you will. I still had fun. Riding the waves of jealousy. None of those people in the fight club won.

I was the best. I got to new heights without the use of any rinnegan and ninjutsu.

It was strategic. I wanted to brush up on my hand to hand combat. It was nice to vent my frustration and train and fight! Besides, I was the best. I think I am the best everywhere.

It sustains me. Not a lot of things make me feel good but the glory and gore do. Blood doesn't feel good on my soul. Neither on my skin- too sticky. And I left the fight club after accidentally becoming second lead to the notorious club master.

I breezed through many small towns and finally got to this large mountain-dominated town that was on the top of a sanded down  _monster_ mountain.

The population was so vast, they didn't settle on the  _base_ or bottom of the mountain, they just made life on the relatively short but wide mountain. I almost skip over the village but I can't. I feel like something important is there since there is this magnificent marble white castle. It's luxurious and very suspicious.

Normally, shinobi don't disturb the land and they make do with their surroundings. We don't leave footprints, physical ones or ecological ones either.

And our fucking villages catch on fire every three seconds. It would be dumb to make nice things. People can't protect nice things.

I finally sit on a branch, chewing on this stale bread that is close to a cracker with how dry and salty it is. I get close enough. I did do enough recon to not be ignorant about my surroundings.

I want to sigh. The forest is basically dirt and green up close. The scenery isn't very great nor is the food. I'm hesitant about staying out in the open because I'm waiting for fist-sized rocks to knock me out.

Also, I'm a convicted fugitive but-  _but_  that isn't important. What matters is this place is fucked out of a future. Kennin is nowhere to be found. If I wanted to waste my time and my life, I would have just stayed by Naruto's side and felt bad about myself.

I had a purpose. To avenge my family. My brother. My clan. Everyone is dead but I still have a chance. And that chance seems far from gone. Just outside of my reach. I'm so angry with myself for believing  _Gina_  and also having to come to Iwagakure. It's a literal shit show here.

The infrastructure is oddly concrete. There are peninsulas everywhere, mountains that put dragons' sizes to shame and the omnipresence of fried food. People love it here.

It is mostly beautiful.

The village is lively and more or less alive with children roaming around. Women and men at their market stand trying to make a sell. Brick buildings are monotone and obviously old. There are lots of churches and schools and other recreational places. Marble and gray stone with arches, walkways and tall, middle-age stuff I hate.

But they look happy. At peace. No shinobi are wreaking havoc and no one has a power struggle. The men look less tough and the women don't have gross muscles.

They're all soft. Weak. Spindly.

There is no such thing as winter here, I guess. It's deep in the month and the heat of June still remains crisp and humid. The golden sun remains a cruel mistress. Huh. Cruse the fucking sun and curse my liking of the color black.

Even if I stay on the roof, what the hell should I do? I jump around for a little, waiting to talk to someone who carries a huge sword. Who has chakra? Someone I could train with on the downtime.

Usually, I prefer being alone and doing nothing while being alone but this isn't the fucking time for solitude. The only valid point of remaining alone is not dealing with headaches.

I don't want to think a year from now, ten years from now or even fifty years from now that I hadn't caught the bastard.

I need people to tell me information and I admit, I'm not the most approachable person to have roamed Kami's green earth. I'm not a people person, I'm not a team worker and I am proud of that. Who has time to do that  _socializing_  thing?

Even with that strength of being independent, I could convince other people to do my work for me.

However, there aren't any people with chakra. Whatsoever. Or they're just hidden. I meditated on it for thirty minutes and through that chakra-searching, I couldn't find one person.

All these people are less than shinobi. They're  _normal_  civilians. It's depressing to think what life would be without any fucking chakra.

They've probably never seen a sharingan in their life... What they missed out on is phenomenal. Would they cut themselves on kunai?

Pfft. Pathetic.

Pathetic...

Pathetic? Is really pathetic?

They seem happier. Would I have been happier without chakra? Would my clan exist had there not been any chakra?

Well, Kaguya fucked everything up and now I hate looking at the moon. I don't know if my ancestor would've been dumb enough... to impregnate whoever... and make the bloodline that gave me a personality.

I would be weak without chakra.

Would being weak be worth it if I were peaceful? Something is bound to go wrong in a society of weak civilians. There isn't any shinobi to straighten themselves out. But there is a huge castle in the distance, as the jewel or ruby in a pile of gold.

It's looking down on them, the normal civilians. It's a jungle of circle, spiraling towers, windows, and high bedrooms. Alabaster and shining... built with defense in mind. Whitestone rising boldly around the large buildings...

It has an unusually large presence for such a place filled with different attractions and smiles. Kennin Kisaragi wouldn't have been king of this place. This town doesn't deserve such a corrupt king. Who would have built something so... European in a place like this? A shinobi's world?

A king when there isn't a Kage... Interesting. I will have to fight this figure one day. I assume.

I see this young boy with red messy hair, one that hasn't been combed in the longest time with brown eyes and dirt-covered clothes. Something about how he holds his head high suggests wealth. He won't lose dignity even though he is getting cornered.

He is surrounded by naysayers backing up against a cream-colored wall on the cobblestone street. It's the middle of the street and no one else is here- except for me.

Ah. It's a common sight. Bullies versus the underdog. No one picked on me while I was a kid because I could kick their ass in an instant. Besides, who wanted to fuck with the sharingan?

"I didn't mean to!" Redhead's prepubescent voice calls out.

One of the big, angry kids shakes their head. "You live in a castle, with riches in all parts of your life yet you steal from my father's shop? What is wrong with you?"

"I just haven't eaten," Redhead cries out, shaking his thin body. He's scared.

He takes a step forward. "You make money. You can't steal. Why didn't you go to your castle and just die?!" says another kid.

Redhead flinches and jumps back, his head thumping the wall hard. He shields his face but shrieks a bit at his self-inflicted injuries.

"Maximillion wouldn't let me in unless I got away from books and played outside of the garden," he says quickly, high-pitched and scared.

The bullies take a moment to laugh. I subtly can't believe redhead made it out of the castle without tripping on his low self-esteem. He's lame, weak and lamer. He's making it so easy for the bullies to never take him seriously. Even I want to  _hurt him_  a bit.

But still, he's worth saving if he stands up for himself.

One goon doesn't seem to be pleased with the redhead. "The Maximillion? You're buddy-buddy with the Lead Knights?"

Lead knights? Hm. So there is a form of shinobi here... Interesting.

"He's my cousin and-" redhead says, inhumanely scared.

"Royal scum! You all should just die in that stupid castle of yours," yells the bully.

Ouch, harsh but he fucking has a castle. I look over in the distance.  _That one._

I need to ask that child questions or do a genjutsu on him. Actually, he doesn't have a lick of chakra- genjutsu wouldn't work. He would be reluctant to live or talk if I scared (cough, cough  _bruised_ ) the boy and he probably has guards around. I don't think he knows anything at that dimwitted age. I could barely anything about that year.

However, I remember not wanting to be looked down upon or be underestimated.

The kid doesn't look rich. He looks like the boys are an inch of terrorizing him enough to make him piss his trousers. All civilians are stunningly weak and cowards. A combination of what I hate.

The color drains from his already pale complexion. "Sorry! It won't h-happen again," redhead says, shaking like a leaf.

"Oh, we'll make sure of that," the bullies say and now they have fangs.

Tch. Good. Rile him up and show him a lesson. Don't fucking steal. Then, I see a shining dagger and I shake my head. It's at least a foot long, beautifully crafted. If it weren't for yagami's usefulness, I would have visited that boy's father to have him make one for me.

"This is a dagger that I will kill you  _with_. My father made this one. It's the most impressive in all of the Hill." says the head bully, dangerously smug with a satisfied smirk.

The redhead shrieks and eyes it uncertainly.

I jump down, in front of the boy. The dust settles and I look at the small children. Redhead stops shivering, not preparing to wail. I pull out yagami, long and brilliant. Like a charcoal mystery in this cobblestone white world. It's four times longer than his with eight prongs of glory.

The other boys' faces become paste white. They all hide behind the head boy with the dagger.

"Oh thank God!" I hear redhead say, clutching my fucking clothes and having an incoming panic attack.

"Your sword is impressive?" I ask slowly. "What would be said about  _mine_?"

Two of the miscreants' bottom lips quiver. "You have w-weird eyes and a weird sword, asshole!" the left one says.

I lean in close, pointing my sword to the boy's throat. "Does it seem weird now?" I ask quietly, eyes shining with trouble.

The left miscreant boy gulps. "N-no, not at all, mister."

The middle one with the sword puffs out his chest. "Are you his guard?"

"No. I just dislike cowards and little boys who tell big lies." I say lowly.

He stays fierce in the midst of his terror. I give him respect for that. I didn't even want to be implicated in this but I have seen strength. The boy points his dagger at the runt standing behind me. Redhead'll get snot on my cloak if he continues clutching it.

"He stole from us, the shrine people! Hard earned money from the Oar Cove, my mother's company!" dagger boy yells. "He's rotten, like all royals."

I'll tell redhead off later. Tch. Dumb kids fighting over dumb kid things. This redhead even has a castle but he steals from a commoner.

What the hell is wrong with him?

The dagger boy, ever proud, thrusts the sword at me. Sighing, I grab the sword. Only to take it away and lecture them or something.

The shining tip of the dagger falls to the ground. Unceremoniously, with a tinny sound. That dagger... broke in half in my hands. The full edge of the sword shakes as the boy looks at it.

Fuck. I didn't mean to do that.

The boy runs away, crying. I didn't mean to do that.

"Royals are rotten flowers!" A miscreant spits as they sprint away.

Royal  _flowers_? That's the name the commoners gave them? Maybe they are rotten. Fucking idiot kid.

The dust settles as I wipe away a bead of sweat. This weather is going to kill me or the redhead's stupidity will. Holy fuck.

"You saved me," he cries.

I turn around to the little bastard and smack his head.

"Ow!" he holds his head, wincing at the pain.

Despite me doing that, he's looking at me with adoration and appreciation. His gaze is unfocused and he looks eager, it shows.

He deserves that hit. I stab yagami into the ground and lean on its golden pommel.

Redhead stares at the brick my sword impaled. "That's... concrete and you went through it like butter."

So  _what_. I flick his forehead. "You can't steal. Don't  _steal._ "

Redhead swats my hand away. "I can do what I want if my reason is good enough! They're shrine people, it's not like they matter all that much."

"Shrine people?"

"They're enemies of the  _Empire_  on the  _hill_  we live on! They vandalized the castle wall the other day." he glared at the direction the shrine people left to. "That's annoying."

People do that shit all the time if you're higher up.

"Ah. You sound like the nobles I hate." I shake my head. "Don't waste my time." I semi-yell.

The boy jumps away and looks at his shoes. Now that I can see him, his clothes do look expensive. They just are caked in the dirt because he got kicked around or he is just a seriously weak kid who falls a lot.

"Why else did you steal? I don't like repeating myself." I say with an edge to my voice. "Only cowards steal from people less fortunate. Are you taking advantage of those who serve your family?" I lean down, so I am face to face with the shrimp. "That's even worse than stealing."

The boy's adoration dissolves a bit. "I don't want to be weak or a royal. I just wanted to eat something without it being done for me," he kicks the spread rocks, grumbling lowly.

"You have all the money in the world, why didn't you buy something  _by yourself_  instead of causing problems, brat?" I grunt, shaking my head.

His red hair looks like rampant flames and his almond eyes look so wide. His face is thin and a red line's over his nose. He's had glasses and he's frail. You don't get strong from lifting books.

"Where are your glasses? Can you even see me?" I grumble.

"The kids crushed it after it flew away when I was running. I didn't have money. Mom says having love is good but having money is better..." he grimaces.

Years did do little to mellow me out. This guy's mom is a piece of work. Having money sucks. Having love sucks. Nothing can really satisfy anything. I have all the money in the world and I'm still unhappy. Imagine how I would be if I were in that damn castle.

"Do you believe that?" I ask after a slight pause.

"No." he sighs.

At least there's hope. He understands that there isn't anything to make anyone happy. He's unlocked the secret to life.

"You had a reason for being scum." I sigh. "I guess weak people have dangerous resolve."

He feels weak because of being a royal.  _Odd_. Usually, people feel strong and their ego gets overinflated because they're a royal.

Irritation flashes across his features. "Hey! I'm not weak. Well, I am but I am not ashamed of being weak..." the boy trails off.

"Huh?" I say.

"I'm  _very_  ashamed," murmurs redhead through a groan.

I look at the sky. It's too blue and the wind is too warm. Good days always start with innocuous encounters with idiots like him.

"Don't be ashamed of being weak. That isn't the problem. Staying weak is." I roll my eyes.

He looks at the ground. "Moto of the Hill isn't weak. I am prince Ken'ichi but I can't even do anything. It sucks!" he picks up a sizable pebble and throws it at the nearby wall. It ricochets across the road.

I moved just before it could hit me with surprising speed. He didn't. The gray pebble came back to hit him on the collarbone with fury.

Gasping, he inhales loudly. "My darn collarbone! Crap!"

He is just a reincarnation of bad luck walking.

This place is called the  _Hill_? What, why? Maybe it's because they're on a mountain?

"I hope I never feel this useless again," Ken'ichi, the prince of dumbass land adds, as an afterthought.

"Beasts are only formidable when they are wounded. For shinobi and men like me, life is useless we win and throw our weight around. Change your life. Don't let anyone including me push you around." I say sternly.

Basically, don't fuck with people you can't outrun or rip to shreds. Pace yourself and ruin anything in the way of your goal. You'll look back and think everything woulda been a lot easier had you not been so lenient. Leniency is for the weak.

He seems like he doesn't get it.

I sigh again and explain in a different way; "As a youth, be hard and steel yourself. Then conquer yourself and the masses will become fully supportive of you in this society of winners and losers. Don't be a loser, shrimp."

"How do you have wise words after abusing me?" asks Ken'ichi, rubbing his arm.

"Abusing? When you have the real bastards and enemies and  _shinobi_  fighting you, you're going to beg someone like me to kick your ass instead of anyone else. Break bones for something important." I flick his forehead again. " _Moron_."

"I'm not grateful to you!" Ken'ichi cries out. Then holds his forehead. "Ow!"

I sigh. I think he has a processing problem or delayed reflexes.

He pouts and glares at me. "You got to stop hitting me-"

His whole tirade and string of complaints were cut when his growl of a beast from his stomach rang out in the street. Aren't royals supposed to be meaninglessly waited on and super obese? They get pampered. They get served and this boy is a twig.

And he goes hungry. Money avoids problems like this... Usually.

I can't have him dead before I get information and talking to him gives me a migraine. Being out in the sun gives me a migraine.  _Fuck._ He shouldn't die because his queen is too busy with whatever the fuck to be tending to her child.

Besides, I would probably get stoned to death in this backward country if it gets out that I refused to aid a fucking prince.

"Here, you stupid kid," I say to the child, giving him money. "Go eat, and leave me  _alone_."

"Thank you for saving me. Seriously," he says, tears welling in his brown eyes. No falling stars or snow would look as white or pale as the kid does now.

I step back a little. What's wrong with him? He looks like he's about to cry. Gah. Kids make me confused.

"Where are your guards?" I ask.

"I ran from them," Ken'ichi smirks and suddenly looks up. "Are you proud of me for that?"

I don't answer that. He can't fish for compliments.

"Go eat whatever you royals eat," I say, gesturing vaguely to the lively streets. The breeze picked up delectable food scents and sweet aromas. "Go away."

"Why don't you eat with me?" Ken'ichi asks and I glare at him.

"No." I turn away.

I honestly only saved him because I need to ask questions. Now that I am here, I realize the magnitude of my mistake.

"Kid, go away."

He charges and tries to hold onto my foot but I grab his pinkie finger, as gently as I could without breaking it.

"Touch me again and you'll lose this finger," I say lowly, squeezing enough to hear blood leaving that area.

He nods frantically. "Mercy, mercy, mercy! You win, let go of my finger!"

" _No_." I smirk.

He positively shrieks without opening his mouth. "No? Why not?!"

Ken'ichi begs in three different languages before I release his finger.

"Eat with me and show me your ways!" he says, so sincere and determined, it makes me a bit concerned. On edge.

He's like a gnat. Fucking kid. I don't want to teach or help or do anything of the sort. I just need information to kill Kennin. I'm not one to go to for solace or lessons.

"Go back to your castle and live on," I say, turning around. Goodbye  _forever_ , until he could hold up his head.

Ken'ichi gets around me and waves his arms around me. "Hear me out!" his voice squeaks and he becomes frantic.

_No._ Getting approval from everyone else seems like a reason to get stronger but it is Naruto's reason. I don't want to teach anyone who is  _hyperactive_  and  _loud_. I hate people who are loud when we are on the same piece of land. It just makes me drained.

I tsk at the little shrimp. "You just want to be liked. I can't teach anyone that. My tactics belong to assassins... who kill."

"That doesn't matter. As long as I live here, there will be enemies I have to fight. I can't be weak. This isn't a peaceful and quiet land, we fight to live, right?"

"Yes. You have a castle of men with swords and all those politicians that are bull. Go learn from them." I scoff. "Stop bothering me. Demanding something like this from someone like me is demeaning."

"I can't do much but learn from those who know what they're doing. Those men are all old farts with old ideas and stupid rules and pride. I have to go from tears to crowns to an empire. How am I supposed to do that without someone to help me?" he asks loudly.

Rules. Honor. Pride. Everyone's  _enemy_. I refuse to be someone's master. Unnecessary trust is placed in a man who could betray you at any moment. It's sketchy. It limits you. It sacrifices your freedom.

If I could be young again, I think I would take the path again. That isn't the choice of a noble master.

"A good mind is addicted to good memories. Don't go crazy and fill your senses with something of this violent sort. Don't be dumb like others who can't handle what reality is." I hiss.

"Sir, I can handle reality!"

"Reality is death, living is death and I am death," I lower my voice. "Don't chew what you can't swallow."

It's silent as he shakes a bit. "You won't help me?"

I nod. Don't count on  _anyone_  helping you. That's just the way life is.

He breaks a little. "Fine," says Ken'ichi petulantly. "You have to eat with me."

"No." I look at him. Why is he so annoying? Why isn't he accepting fate?

"Do you have something to do later on? Why don't you wanna eat with me?"

"I get  _nothing_  out it and I don't want to."

"What? You gotts go beat some other bad guys?"

I want to hit him. He asks too many questions. "You break bones for important things," I repeat. "Goodbye."

Then, he surprisingly or not so surprisingly, holds his pinkie and dislocates it. He doesn't even cry out. Sweat beads, shining on his forehead and he shakes a bit. He tries to smile but he flinches a bit.

Civilians feel it more than others. Pain. He really wants to that bad. All powerful things are always chameleons... until it wants to be seen. He looks at me, the crooked pinkie and I shake my head. That's mildly impressive.

It reminds me of Naruto stabbing himself with the kunai and almost dying from blood loss. That would have been funny. Some cast doubt. Uchiha are forbidden to be sympathetic but you can be impressed by weaklings, I suppose.

* * *

I allow him to squirm a bit until I give him some herbs to help cure him. He's meant to be fine.

So, they live on the Hill, as people call it. The shrine people are enemies of the empire, the empire with princes and such people like Ken'ichi.

Ken'ichi one hell of a kid that's more annoying than  _Naruto_ or Konoha's brats. He looks oddly determined, not like a lion who got his newfound coat and teeth... But like some flower about to unfurl. Mature. People who experience failure become much more mature, it seems.

"I've noticed only poor people eat soba," Ken'ichi says, slurping his piping hot noodles with gusto and much enthusiasm.

I shoot a small glare at him. Is this what he sounds like all the time? No wonder people line up to kick his ass. We sit across from each other while I just observe the small shrimp eat and eat, bowls piling up at his side.

I heard that royals were terrible gluttons. Seems stereotypes have some background facts, no matter how absurd or ludicrous they may seem. Bowl number seven for the redhead was much the same finished in the same time that bowl number one was... Gross.

Ken'ichi doesn't eat with his mouth closed and he yaps on and on. He inhales his food and talks about nonsense. It makes me want to split my chopsticks.

"What do you want from me, Redhead?" I ask, sighing.

"Ken'ichi. My name is Ken'ichi Moto."

So, the royal families are called  _Moto._

"And?"

Ken'ichi blinks three times. "And? That's my name!"

Who cares? I don't. Besides, I'm not sure what crazy shit he'll do if I leave Ken'ichi alone.

I look at my chopsticks. "Men only eat together when their wives are out of town and the stove doesn't work. They drink together when they have a business deal or a plan they need carried out. Which one is it, redhead?"

"Ken'ichi. It's Ken'ichi!" he reminds me angrily. He points his chopstick at me, miffed. "A business deal. That's why I bought you the soba. Be a Lead Knight so that you could be in the castle every day. Everyone'll allow it and you could get riches and glory and some say woman flock around you."

I don't want women or riches or glory. I want revenge. I won't be tricked into a massacre of personality because of a hopeless world of politics ruled by money. That's my everlasting choice. Any reasonable voice of heart would refuse to join a military so corrupt... like per se Konoha's.

When I was in the ANBU, there were schemes and all these things would happen for power. I did the same but not within an organization. I was playing with lives and worldly powers... I fear I would consider going back there but this Hill is a new land, with odd clothes and odd people somewhere else.

"You cannot lure me in with such useless things. What are they? The  _Lead Knights_ ," I ask.

Ken'ichi's gaze becomes fierce and steady. "They protect our city and they trample our enemies over the Hill village. You seem like a foreigner," he looks at me. "The existence of nobility, the livelihood of my people and our safety rely on them. They're the perfect and true warriors of the Hill."

His people? He must be serious about becoming king. "Why is your castle white?"

Now that we sit, I realize I can see the castle from anywhere in the village. It's mocking me. No buildings are tall enough to hide it from my view. It's annoying...

"Isn't it awesome?" Ken'ichi cries, pumping his fist.

"It's pretentious and bold," I scoff. And tall. It's asking for a fight. "Answer my question."

He shrinks a bit. "I can tell you'll be an intense and scary teacher." he laughs.

I glare a little. I won't be a teacher.

Ken'ichi gets on with it. "Because in comparison of our enemies... their main temple is black. We are pure, apparently and we are also bigger and stronger than those hicks." Ken'ichi's expression grows dark as if memories sweep through him. "Throughout our flow of time, those monsters threatened us with their swords. They even killed our first king. Recently, there's been a treaty but the enemies are only allowed in some places in the village. The Reconciliation treaty, signed by my grandfather."

Swords? That seems... like Kennin's people. Some places... The shrine people seem to be enemies... Reminds me of the Uchiha getting barred out of some areas and being allowed in certain terrible spots. Those who are blindly hating... have it that way.

Ken'ichi looks at his bowl, grip hard around his chopsticks. "When two countries and people meet, the more prosperous country's goods go into the less wealthy country. So will its traditions and culture. The less wealthy country usually have a disposition or mindset of a subordinate and they shall revolt. It's meant to be like that, my father always said. Only defeats await them." he bangs his fist on the table. "If they never provoked us, they would have lived peacefully."

"In a war, would you win?" I ask.

"Yes. They are usually unsuccessful." Ken'ichi looks at the blue, true sky and saddens a bit. "King Takamaru The Great... my father... has balls of steel and I could never fight so many battles without losing people. The shrine people lose and die and end. They weren't meant to live or survive. That's what my father always said but I am not my father. I value lives... mostly the lives of my people, the  _Empire_."

Oh. So, he's not just a useless puppet.

"I say, there is a group of stars in the darkness of the sky called hope. And I think that's our enemy. Hope. The empire won a lot but we also lost too, I think. We are strong and we will defeat our enemies. I think we have the power to do so and fight more."

I look away. I wonder if I would be patriotic had Konoha not been so shitty.

"Join the lead knights, we're strong and we can protect everyone! You also could stay in the castle walls with me! We'll go to the noble realm and you'll live up there, with me!"

I don't want a student nor do I want to follow orders... Ken'ichi's speaking in code now. What the hell is a noble realm? "What do you  _mean_?"

"All the common people live in this area or realm. We're on a mountain and this is the lower level, the lowest of them all. Doesn't it suit the people here?"

"Being around airheads sure does blow the royals' heads up, huh? It doesn't suit anyone."

He looks shocked. "What?"

I shake my head and glare at the damn castle.

I'm being looked down upon by that awful tower. Talk about social classes... and assholes... They're saying aristocrats and peasants shouldn't be embraced by the same levels of sunlight. People at the top of the mountain pretend to be all seeing and they get to have all the riches.

Man, this place is defiled from equality. The Kage at least lived on the same level and ground as everyone.

Ken'ichi taps on his chin. "About seventy-nine percent of the population lives here? Or is it seventy-four? Damn it, this was on Maximillion's quiz. The enemy, the shrine people, live here. Those who can't wield swords, at least."

Hm. "If I become a Lead Knight, will I meet the king of the... Empire?"

"My brother, he is busy with getting married. It's kinda crazy. I don't even like her but the Moto people are excited. The shrine people hate it."

So, the people of the empire are the Moto people and the people of the inferior country are the shrine people...

"Your brother is the king?" I aak.

He nods. "I don't even think I will be... king unless you help me." he smiles a bit. "Even eating with you is like seeing though I am blind without glasses. That's a little bit of help."

I shake my head. "If you really want to get stronger, you have to get there on your own merits. Only success is pure that way."

He nods, clenching his fist. "Alright! I'll tell the king you saved me from the dirty shrine people! That'll help you get enrolled."

I sigh and look at the clouds. Since when did I have to get involved in such politics? I never did agree to see the kid again but I got information about this complexes place with an innocent get up. Notwithstanding that or this whole conversation, I have a feeling that I'll see him again.

If I want information, I have to go to this second country and find out what he hell is really going on with this.

Ken'ichi looks green, and twiddles with his index finger and the shallow creases, scratches on the wooden table.

I give him a concerned, stern glance. Did he get poisoned? This area seems to have a lot of Moto.

"Are you going to throw up the food you bought with my money?" I hiss. Typical, what a brat. Little kids puke and they mess Everything up. Including your paycheck.

He flinches, hesitating before looking at the few floating noddles. "No. I  _might_  after I see it."

"See what?" I narrow my eyes. "Don't be so cryptic."

There was a loud howl of a horn, that was deep and rich. It rang out and everyone pauses. As if they were controlled or possessed, they freeze and I am the only warm-blooded fool sitting and watching everyone tense up.

Even those around us, including the chef, sigh.

"I think it's starting now." he looks at me so casually, it makes me wonder just what is starting.

"What?"

"The  _execution_."

* * *

-End Chapter-

**Character Inventory & ** **Vocab**

**Uchiha Sasuke** \- sharingan user, s-class Shinobi who seeks revenge on anyone against his ideals. He hates soybeans, worked at a Library and got a prosthetic arm after many complaints.  
**Kennin Kisaragi** \- killer of 14 Uchiha, expert swordsman, owner of yagami and a member of the Black Shrine. Was strong and notable enough to become  _a_  
**Morino Gina** \- vengeful ex-wife of Kennin, mother of two children with Morino Ibiki and has a hatred for traitors.  
**Moto Ken'ichi** \- the cowardly third prince in the Moto royal family who wants to become king to defeat his enemies. He mostly stops the bullies when his faithful guard isn't around.  
**Maximillion** \- the chief of the  _Lead Knights_  and Ken'ichi's cousin.  
**King Takamaru The Great** \- the king of the Empire, Ken'ichi's father and the one who signed the  _Reconciliation Treaty._

**Vocab**

 

**Kuromiya** \- the surrounding villagers and clan who practice in the Black Temple Academy and live in the region.  
**Black Temple Academy** \- where young people of all ages go to practice and perfect their swordsman skills. Also, to be spiritual.  
**Lotus Rock Crew or Shinobi** \- those who engage in combat to protect the Black Temple Academy.

**Moto** \- the shortened version of the Miyamoto clan/people.  
**Common realm** \- almost seventy-nine percent of the population of Moto and Kuromiya people live in the lower part of the  
**Noble realm** \- where the castle stands, the Lead Knights train, and where the nobles, aristocrats and the royal family live.  
**R** **econciliation Treaty-** a treaty signed by the leaders of the Empire who allowed access to the common realm

**Yagami** \- forged by Kennin Kisaragi, an eight-pronged sword with a golden handle. It glows red and blue depending on the morality of the actions Sasuke _or_ any swordsman takes.  
**Empire-** the regime of the Moto and the name of the government.  
**Lead Knights** \- similar to shinobi but without chakra. They defend the Empire from shinobi and threats to the royal Moto family.  
**The Hill** \- the slang word for the mountains the people of the Empire live on. The country's name, essentially.  
**Moto people** \- those who support and are of the Miyamoto clan.


	3. Genocide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke finally meets his enemy

**Last time in Humbling The Uchiha:**

There was a loud howl of a horn, that was deep and rich. It rang out and everyone pauses. As if they were controlled or possessed, they freeze and I am the only warm-blooded fool sitting and watching everyone tense up.

Even those around us, including the chef, sigh.

"I think it's starting now." he looks at me so casually, it makes me wonder just what is starting.

"What?"

"The execution."

* * *

 **Humbling**   **The**   **Uchiha** **:**  
****T**** ** **emples**** ** ** & **** ** **Shinobi****

-Chapter 3-  
Genocide

* * *

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN  _EXECUTION_?"

Ken'ichi pushes his bowl away, setting down his chopsticks. "It's usually public. A couple of weeks ago, some shrine people stormed through the noble realm and killed the sister of my brother's fiancée, Princess Miyabi. She was supposed to take care of her child and Uncle Sen, her husband, is  _devastated._ "

So the Queen's sister  _got murdered_ and these shrine people killed her.

"Is this the execution of the killer today?" I demand. A public execution? There's something mildly wrong with that.

He shakes his head. " _No_. The execution of the killer took place the day after Miyabi died. The funeral was sad."

"All funerals are sad," I respond instantly.

"Yeah. She was so nice to me. She was supposed to make me fried rice crackers but she was killed and Uncle Sen lost  _two people._ "

"Two people?" I wince.

He sighs a bit and deflates. "Their eleven-month-old baby got abducted."

Those bastards... They stole a baby? This just gets more fucked up. Only cowards kill babies and children. The Moto family must be  _hated_ if this is retaliation for what they've done.

He curls his fists. "Princess Miyabi's child hasn't been found. No one outside of the royal family has seen baby  _Senichi._  So, it's hard to identify my cousin  _and_ the common realm people have a lot of people and children. No one is sure of anything."

"Why is there an execution  _today_? Have they found the person who abducted baby Senichi?"

"One thing we know for sure is that the baby was taken by the shrine people. They took responsibility. The group who murdered Princess Miyabi, six shrine people, were whipped  _then_ killed by hanging. No one has claimed responsibility for Senichi's disappearance. To put pressure on the opposed, one shrine person a day has been killed since, what day is it?"

"It's June 21st," I say, doing some mental gymnastics. I left in March and not has been a roundabout adventure with many detours.

"About nineteen shrine people died," declares Ken'ichi loudly.

Nineteen people died in place of the coward that stole a child. Where would that baby be?

Ken'ichi bangs his small fist on the table. "That isn't enough!"

I shake my head softly. Killing more people won't bring Ken'ichi's aunt back nor will it soothe any of these tricky problems.

"They have no shame! They killed my dear aunt and stole my cousin! Why should just one die? Huh? They just take and take and take! And take!" he yells, smacking the table. "Miyabi was only twenty -two, she only had ten years on me and they took her and her baby too!"

"They're takers?" I repeat. How does this child reflect me? He also has been fed so much hate, that he's filled to the rim.

He hangs his head, his voice less shattered and evener. "I don't know," he replies, all sullen and desperate. "No one should die at all. The more I say that the more people die. What's wrong with everyone?"

"Many things, some things and nothing at all..." I say, looking at the body in this altered state of mind.

"The shrine people got away with murder this time! The people who stole baby Senichi will come forward. They want all the death to stop? Right? Right?" he pleads with me.

I just sigh. This is too sticky and it closes up my throat. I have heard and seen... the unspeakable and I have seen what evil does to the mind, the anguish, the odd rewards and the absolute hurting people go through.

"Take me to the execution sight," I say immediately, I stand up.

I made up my mind. I have to stop that execution... I have to do something...or else I would have failed myself. I am burning up just thinking of ways that... so many families have died in place of that coward.

"I never watch them. Or go to them." Ken'ichi admits. "Don't-"

"Take me to it," I demand, no argument in my voice.

He shrinks a bit.

* * *

Oh. It's gruesome but the town square is too pretty to be a place of quiet and slow massacre.

We got there too late. The crowd was too thick.

The bodies... previous executions are limp and dangling on the town square. The rope is a dark, somber color and it matches the elevated platform on which they  _died_ on.

It looks like a stage, three or four meters above the crowd who  _is_ excited. It's wooden and shabby but it seems sturdy enough for the three hundred pound executioner to prance around the bodies.

Ken'ichi is clutching onto the back of my cloak, shaking his head. The darkness of the shawl we bought before arriving makes him anonymous. If anyone saw the prince terrified of his people, that wouldn't blow over very well.

I understand why he's unhinged; his people are cheering, swelling with some odd pride and this broken sense of nationality.

Why... are they... clapping?

The executioner still has blood... on his boots from yesterday's kill. He isn't man enough to show his face...

There's a heavy and somber air around some commoners but other people are much too enthusiastic for this... occasion.

They're all hanging off of his words. I can't hear his shit speech but I hear the praises for him, readily seeping from lips.

I feel suffocated as everyone leans in for this tidbit of information. They're pressing forward, waving this odd purple flag and being... one with the sight. They're stepping on shoes and one person nearly got trampled in this chaos.

Ken'ichi whispers something like; "There's a bigger crowd today."

I clench my fist. That's... decidedly mightily fucked up.

Up there, there's a royal official, I suppose who stands beside the swaying body from it's hanging site. It sways like an odd fruit from the bitter trees of the royals.

The executioner patiently taps his foot while the official whispers into his ear. A person who seems partially jaded with blue hair and a stick up his ass. He's standing at attention, the spine so straight- it's definitely unnatural.

The executioner, with pit stains and potato sack clothing, clears his clogged throat waving his hands to get the people's attention.

Others with sticking out elbows and loud cheers quiet down. You could hear a pin drop and I detected the rushing, flowing heartbeats of these monsters in sheepskin all around me. They were fast.  _Sickening._

"The people of the empire, good news for thy people and thy royals; number twenty has successfully died!" A deep, grizzly voice shares.

The eruption of yells was like an earthquake with the vibratos of loud voices in the air. It nearly shreds my eardrums as they whoop and dance.

They surge forward, pushing everyone except for me and another cloaked man in all black. He looks very... traditional and his aura-

That's what makes me have pause. He seems so peaceful, even in this situation.

That makes me unnerved, reaching for my sword. A woman knocked into me and I growl at her. She doesn't even notice in her rabid rushing...

Where are they going? What are they doing?

After being hit and Ken'ichi audibly yelping, his scarf that covers his distinctive red hair almost falls off.

"Put that on and fasten it tighter," I order.

He doesn't know how to put on a shawl properly, why does he want to rule a kingdom full of people?

If that shawl comes off, it's game over for the rest of  _me._ Everyone would mob and get angry at the tall, dark, mysteriously sunburnt foreigner trying to coerce the future king into something.

Ken'ichi groans but obediently hides his identity. What? Does he want to  _die_? What the hell is that attitude towards staying alive? I'm about to kindly  _lecture_ him but another idiot pushes into me. All this anger and confusion boils until a geyser shoots out and I explode.

"Watch where the fuck you're going!" I snap when the burly man bumps into me.

He doesn't hear me and continues on his merry way. Asshole. He didn't even apologize. Like, fuck off! Did all of you lose your manners?! I have no idea where they're  _going_  and I don't care enough to follow.

This place is quite possibly the thirteenth most backward place I've visited. I've been everywhere and nowhere. Well, it's not  _the_ worst, it's just strange. The whole feel of this place is...  _odd_? Sinister.

This place could be my playground if I kill someone  _accidentally_  because how little would my casual cruelty show in this sadistic place?

"Like a pack of fucking animals..." I grimace.

The man hums lightly. "They think they are seeing justice."

I let the words come together and my eye twitches.  _How could you possibly deduce that?_ , I want to ask but I don't. There's a song beneath his song of words.

I want to  _know_ why he's talking to me.

Cryptic words like that meander and it's weird. It's right but it resonates in me for a while. Ringing me like a bell and I do a double take.

"They are... blind to what's really happening," I hiss angrily. Who does he think he is? Why the hell does he think he could talk to me anyway?!

The man continues making that half-baked timbre. "Many lenses and eyes see colors differently. We must not say they are blind to what you think you are looking at."

I stay quiet, some reason, hesitation stills my limbs and my tongue feels like tissue paper. His crow's feet affected eyes are startlingly blue. The clarity of mountain streams and this odd warmth. It's like he could never be as cold as the frozen ice in his eyes.

"There's a general consensus of what people think wrong and right should be and what it actually is." I point over to the hanging body... I will never eat an apple ever again. "They're getting... revenge, I think."

"Revenge and justice aren't the same things." he smiles a bit.

"There are cowards who are killing in front of hundreds just to fearmonger! That woman did nothing wrong." I say loudly.

"I know," he says. His eyes wander over to the platform. "I won't defend this era but we  _will_  get to better times. Now, we are in the time of cruelty and discrimination."

"Time tells us nothing."

The crowd has stopped moving. They aren't falling outmoded formation. Then, a loud, pleading scream comes from behind the platform. The woman sounds like she would be running for her life had she not been restrained.

She's... innocent. She's... also  _going_ to die. The air becomes heavy and I clench my curled fist.

"Good news my good people, the king has  _ordered_ two deaths per day! In the name of Prince Senichi! The shrine people aren't even close to our species, therefore  _they will not_  have a pair of legs, hands, and eyes, a heart and brain to commit any other  _atrocities_ against the Moto people! Another death by hanging in in order!"

The roars are deafening, once again.

The woman gets forcefully shoved before the rope. She twists, screaming, fear tearing apart her larynx. She's in total desperation, begging the people in the crowd to save her and I hear every note in that song of desperation.

Stay there, woman. I'll be coming over. I'll wash the blood off of her knees, I'll be there. I've seen some awfully nice and dreadfully bad things here. I won't let her see death.

The man with warmth suddenly stops me.

"Do not overreact. Your chakra  _is leaking_ all over the place because you are emotional," says the man carefully.

I don't understand why she is getting  _punished_. I am just in the process of going and he holds his arm out, a gate or fence that keeps me from doing anything.

"Do not stop me from stopping them in whatever they're doing." I grit my teeth, glaring at his arm.

It takes seven pounds to hyperextend an elbow. I'll break through him. I'm not even asking for permission. I'd rather ask for forgiveness than permission.

"I will not. The people are too distorted and disheartened to feel guilt. Or they are too bad to feel guilt. You never know," he gives me a small, all-knowing look.

"Either way, the good people of this are doing nothing! Nothing." I hiss.

The good people always do nothing... Most people do evil, most just ignore it. I'm not one of the good people but I know how far is too far. I never knew how to be a good person, I never tried but maybe there should be a change to that.

He gestures to the wall of limbs and smiles and the teeth I can see in those smiles. "These people feel superior since they are not the one  _who_ is condemned to this fate... You should help the victims of this heinous execution, the wives, the families, the children... and stop the next one from happening. Wouldn't you like to help the people of tomorrow? Bring peace to them and eventually spread that to other people?"

What he says makes sense but we're ultimately still here, being useless.

"They are in front of me  _now._ I would regret something if I don't do anything," I yell. You can't possibly stop me from doing anything.

"How is adding more death and bloodshed going to solve matters?" he asks me.

I stop in my step. "It doesn't by that's what is going to save her. Now."

"A life for a life? Do those who have sinned, lost merit deserve to be murdered? Are you doing what they were going to in the name of goodness? Murder is still murder. No matter the cause or person or weapon."

"If you can save by killing, then death is fine by me. That's a shinobi's way." I argue. Why are we still having this conversation?! It's preventing me from doing  _anything._

"Hmm." He looks away. "If you kill those on stage, imagine the disaster and death that will come to those who live in this country after you leave, as a foreigner and enemy?"

"That's not my problem at that point," I say honestly.

Collateral damage from a good thing that I did would be  _nothing_ of importance. I still did what a kaleidoscope of heartbeats under flak jackets would do. My decision is a sure thing. That's what life in motion for a shinobi is; be killed or kill.

"No guilt?" echoes the man, not judging. He's so casual.

"Killing is what I give heart and soul. Revenge too. I think it would be solace or dreadful in your perspective but now if I kill, I feel nothing. Especially if I kill scum like them," I look at the two assholes on the platform. "Especially them."

He doesn't even blink or look fazed. "Value all lives, even those with bad souls and those with good souls. They still all bleed the same when they are cut. We have to eventually forgive them. Forgive  _you,_ too."

Forgiveness isn't something or available for infallible people. People like me don't deserve forgiveness, nor do we get atonement. People like Kennin don't deserve forgiveness. What universe is he living  _in_?

"So, you're going to forgive them?" I ask, the words like poison on my tongue.

He nods. "If those who have tainted souls are willing to renew themselves, I will know all their sins and take responsibility for them."

Bullshit. He makes me so mad with his soft ways, soft views and bullshit about forgiveness. We're wasting time. I had enough, her neck is in the loop and I have to do something.

"If you kill, the cycle continues. We are all circular and creative in how we hurt each other. Cruelty gains respect here and we must dissolve that with the sweetness of kindness. The bad people are creative in their evil and the minority of the bad people dominate. That's what we must change."

"How would you suggest to do anything?" I spit since he seems to have the solutions and wisdom to stop a tsunami of tears.

He takes a moment to look into the far distance, all sage. "We should not  _kill_ whatsoever. Sentient beings are numberless and you must vow to save them all,  _even_ if they have unspeakable sins. They can renew themselves just as the moments take care of themselves, the years following shall sort themselves out. We will get better after we wait."

If I kill  _her now_ , all these people would be dead if I bounced. That doesn't weigh on me as heavily as it should. Maybe I am hollow like beer bottles.

"Fuck your waiting and get out of my way!" I say loudly, pushing past him. "Redhead, let's go."

Ken'ichi bows to the man and peers at him for a second before scurrying after me. The standing man lets out a satisfied laugh when I trudge in the direction of the outer town instead of going into the hanging site...

When I am cooled down enough, I punch the wall with a little bit of effort. Cracks snake up the whole stone wall with the resemblance of a glass mirror that has been stepped on repeatedly.

I can't believe he would lecture me and stop me from taking action. I would have killed them! And he's talking about renewal and forgiveness. I can't find salvation in any of his words. No one would take me. No one should.

Naruto and Sakura were just fucking dumb.

I know all my types of disorders and problems. I know them all by name. All of my mistakes and bad deeds tighten around my neck like a vice. It's all right across my throat.

Ken'ichi's  _squeaky_ voice breaks me out of this trance. "That's cool. You're so cool, mister. It's-"

I lean down and explain; "Do not  _end_ up like me or those on the stage. Demons don't solely live in your head, they walk around and look like you. Don't talk to them unless you're  _looking_ for pain. You'll have the abyss staring at you and you will truly become consumed with permanent decisions made during temporary feelings. Dark sides of society usually put overshadows your good parts."

Confusion clouds his expression like fog he can't get through. "What are you talking about? I want to learn how to be strong from you!"

He doesn't get it.

"You will learn how to be evil if I teach you. Not strong. Not brave.  _Just_ evil." I concluded, nodding sternly.

I turn around. I will keep my damage to myself.

"Young prince, feel clean. Be clean. Stay clean or else I will come back and you will be my enemy." I promise silently.

Having fewer people knowing me eases my mind. Having fewer people who become like me eases my mind just as much.

* * *

For the next three days, I meditate over the information that was given to me. More deaths occurred. I have seen that scrawny prince looking all over the common realm for me. It's so weird, him actively seeking me out.

Yagami, my sword, doesn't function without Kennin and it sure as hell doesn't accept my chakra.

I've ignored the red hotness that appears when I try to kill someone. It's strange. It tried to stop me from killing others and it won't direct me to its bloody master. I'm partially devastated. What good is a sword if you can't kill with it?

Everyone needs a bar where no one can find you... and this is it. It's nice. I came to decompress after the day's disasters.

Bottles, glasses and barrels line the walls and everyone seems devastated. It's quite sad. Even when I get in a bar, sitting there trying to drown my liquor, a woman tsks, cleaning a glass after another and sighing. She's a few years older than me but her disposition makes her seem way older.

She's already served me, what does she care about what I do?

Her nimble fingers and need for alcohol distracts you from her green eyes and velvety smooth midnight's hair. She wears a bandana around her hairline, her expression and her movements jittery. It makes her apron flop around as she entertains her guests.

She immediately spots me and nods, smiling with her white teeth. Up close, there is some beige and cream colors but she had nice teeth.

Her voice is perky and clear. Practicing being happy when she's miserable makes perfect, it seems.

"Ah. Mister. It's a policy that my men don't have weapons in this area. At least until I verify who you are for myself." her mild smile widens despite her obvious unease. "I'm always welcoming my men. I know everyone and I would like to know you."

She's probably a basket case! Who knows? The bar table is quite old, with deep scratches and ingrained details that shine under the scarce lighting.

The bar is probably the most organized part of my day and I haven't organized nor touched a bar before. That's tragic and magic at the same time. But that's still so broken. Even I could admit that.

"Damn those shrine people," she mutters, cleaning a glass.

"What's wrong with you?" I ask, finally.

"Haven't you heard? Our Hill enemies are in our lil ol' town, wreaking havoc and dissonance. They're allowed to shop with us in the same stores, live on the same hill and drink the same ale. It's horrifying." the woman snaps, probably more out of concern for her brethren rather than rudeness.

It's the only thing keeping me from slitting her throat. Her supposed rudeness shouldn't be directed towards me.

Hill enemies? What, is the flat land jealous? I want to tape my mouth shut. And my brain.

The shrine people seem like bad eggs- murdering the Queen-to-be's sister.

The Moto people  _seems worse._ People have hollow eyes, slouched posters and women constantly look over their shoulders. This place has so much discrimination and ultranationalism. It's quite gross.

There is no immediate danger and she's just whining. Those who aren't strong do not get a say in what happens. The weak decide who dies when it comes down to it.

I finish my drino, ignoring conversations and the maleviolence.

"Honey, what can I serve ya?" she asks, kindly. With a twang of duty.

"Serve me?" I ask. "You want to... again?"

"Yeah. You're my customer. All my customers get the love and warmth, not my ale."

Oh? Okay... I nod. "Gin. Give me all you have. Some that is smooth and strong."

"Sweetheart, if you hit the floor, you better have a pretty little lady to bring your ass home."

"Got it," I say. Don't lecture me, lady. If I wanted to be lectured, I would ask for one then promptly kill myself.

She rustles around as I look around.

I always check for enemies. Everyone's so tense. I am just an outsider. This shouldn't bother me. Morale seems quite low and people all have teeth on them. I scrunch my brows. Why?

"You're noticing it too?" she says somberly.

"Hn," I say, looking forward.

If I stare at anyone for too long, they begin growling like a damn dog. It feels odd- the atmospheric pressure. The air tastes of malice and the iron of blood.

Her voice becomes low and tired. "My dear, dear husband's bar is for Moto only but there are all these strangers here. Half of the men here aren't my customers. I've never seen anyone with the audacity of those shrine people. When you live in a world like this, you know you'll find everyone at a bar. Even  _Kuromiya._ "

All in all, that's depressing. And Kuromiya... That's the group Kennin was with. I'm in whose territory? I have to ask myself that question every fifteen questions. Both groups have a deep hatred for each other. You can't talk like there's something to say because there will someone who disagrees or thinks you're on their enemy's team.

I narrow my eyes. "What happened?"

"Do you know why the Kuromiya have been powerless to us?" she smiles a bit. "Lady Koneo and Lord Kazuhiro have prevailed this time."

Are they the siblings of Ken'ichi? The king and wife or king and sister? Why does she have this sickly sweet smile on her face? The refined politics and history of this place are stupid. There are executions and noble realms. It's too crazy. Too insane.

"Shrine people and the Moto are just people who aren't meant to be in the same place. Shrine people hate working towards the betterment of all of us." the bar woman says, chuckling lightly. "They got lost without us and now we just successfully completed the plan."

"Plan?" I lean in.

She reaches out to put the glass down. The rag is white and the glass sparkles like the sun. "Honey... You must be out of the loop. We've been planning this attack for months and it finally got carried out." she sounds excited as she leans in to tell me.

What the hell are you talking about? Confusion plagues me and I have to act calm. I don't know what I am to say. My other gin hasn't come about.

Suddenly, she's regarding me oddly like she's suspicious.

"For a man who's so comfortable at a Moto bar, you're weirdly on the outside ends with our great victories." she pops an eyebrow up. "But before this- tell me, love, are you one of us, a Moto?" she asks, narrowing her eyes.

I don't answer. I jusy finish my liquor.

She doesn't like it.

Slowly, eyeing me and growling lightly, she unties the knot that holds up her apron. For a second, I believe she is going to strip but all the men around me are either dead and blind because they just allow this woman to take off her clothes?!

What kind of heaven is this? Just heaven has pink hair, and I dunno, more good booze.

"Ah- lady-" I panic.

Her tattoo design is a seal with four dots within a circle. It shows a root, a type of bridge under a moon.

Her mellifluous voice was now a hiss. "My tattoo. This is my tattoo. My Moto mark, do you have yours available?" she asks with a lot of edge to her voice.

People are staring, getting their weapons ready, sharpening their teeth, standing up and inching closer. They all want in on the prey this wolf's just found.  _Neat._  I needed this bullshit. Just needed it.

For a moment, I am relieved that she isn't stripping but I notice the expressions of overlooked and those who also seem mighty suspicious of me. She seems like a snake with her beady eyes and her pale skin is just a sickle with support and obsession with this- Moto.

Just then, a bell sounds.

She leans in close until the ring interrupts her.

I let out an unconscious sigh of relief. Did I want to see her strip? Not really. I didn't have time for anyone. I just wanted to be peacefully left alone. In somber albeit peaceful silence. Reflecting. Can't anyone let me live?

Besides, I haven't seen people so fanatic for their nation. Even Konohagakure is relatively hated amongst the people. Or I am just outta the loop. I dunno. I don't care.

A united people, when against a cause or person, is a danger. When they are loyal, they are dangerous to those who they deem "other" or an outsider. I have to know more about them. I have to get on her good side.

She's momentarily distracted and looks to the door, to greet, to smile, to call over at the next Moto bastard. It's her job to be social, kind and inviting. She's already engagingly kind and social but inviting.

How will she react to this man?

Her face lights up like a glowing lantern then immediately becomes one of horror and pride. A strange, strange but powerful combination.

I look over. And suddenly, yagami flashes in the distance behind her. Like a flare in the dark of the forest night. And that tells me- I turn  _around_  and see him.

"Kennin Kisaragi." everyone, someone, no one whispers.

He's flesh. He's real. He's dead.

He's a tall man with gray hair and a beard. Thin in his face but fairly handsome. He wears a black kimono without sleeves and pants. He doesn't carry a sword. The thing that gets me riled up is that he has kind eyes and-

The warmest blue eyes I've ever seen. Again.

He won't ever be able to see.

Their shocked expressions make me wonder why it's such a shock. The other human parts of me want to kill him where he stands and grind his bones into powder after cutting him into a million pieces.

I look at yagami, instead of red is faintly showing a blue aura. It beams with that. It's him. Really for him. I'm not hallucinating. My eyesight grows red and my body is tense.

The woman leans back at the darkness flowing outside of me. My killing intent as ripe as a black cherry.

Every damn time I get something good, someone dies. For the first time, I don't mind at all. He will die. By my hands. My rules. My fate. I will kill him. I will do anything and everything to get revenge and some peace. I will kill him.

He had the balls to say to value lives, to not kill, to not murder those who have sinned and lost merit.

Murder is still murder. No matter the cause or person or weapon. He's... such a fucking act. He killed 14 Uchiha and... he won't kill? He doesn't want to kill? He deserves to die. He is such a hypocrite.

He won't stop me from killing again. Never again.

"Kennin Kisaragi, you have sinned  _and_ you will reap the consequences," I say quietly, channeling my chakra, everything's getting hot and I am ready to fight.

The woman's diamond-bright laugh interrupts me. "That's the Moto spirit." she claps me on the back, seemingly forgetting everything.

I almost break her wrist for touching me but she's already talking some more, not fazed by a reaction.

She clears her throat. "My Miyamoto family, Kennin Kisaragi has just experienced a massacre. Only a fool of a massacre returns to his killers."

I widen my eyes. The Moto committed a massacre against the Kuromiya. This is fucked up and getting more fucked up.

Well- who cares?!

I look back at her and grab yagami, prepared for a bloodbath. All of that warmth leaving his kind eyes. All the skin that shall reveal his bloodied muscles and the rush of adrenaline and sense of the accomplishment.

I see a green light. I'll take it. I steady myself to walk up to him, my sword ready and everything's bathing in red. Rage courses through my blood and fury make my heart beat fast.

All bodies approach the man, creeping forward- wanting to kill Kennin when that isn't a choice.

"You there," Kennin says, amicable and loud. "I see you've found my gift. The Academy will... have calamity."

What. The.  _Fuck._  He has a bright smile and what the fuck?!

Doesn't he know that... I'm going to kill him. Kill him. Kill him some more. It's not like yagami is leaping for joy and happiness. How the hell is he so calm when everyone wants him to die?!

I can barely see him anymore, my ears are going and my body loses sensation. I want to kill him so bad I can barely move. All my rage won't be taken out on this bar. I have to fight him, I have to destroy him, I have to break him. Nothing else will do justice.

"Kennin, all your flowery shinobi have been eliminated by our all-powerful master. Have you come here to perish in flames as well?" A deep baritoned-man hisses.

Snickers and yells are heard. I am still curling my fist, ready to paint his blood black. He will die. I have imagined this so many times. I will get revenge and true motive in killing him.

"We couldn't imagine off the job. Tell the master it was an accident Kennin was killed," another suggests.

He points at me with a satisfied grin. "You, young man, need to be greeted for yagami has been circulated and found someone who came back to me."

Everyone looks at me.

"Ah. The yagami... chose him? You're his successor? You fucking scum." A man snarls.

I look at yagami.

How was he looking for a successor through a sword? Yagami shines blue in the presence of him and red in the presence of me. Why would I be a successor? I wouldn't ever serve him. Never. If I wanted to be disarmed of my hate, I would rather kill myself and be one with the ashes.

"All these fools. Lord Kazuhiro has said nothing about killing Kennin. Yet. We shalt be very pleased with the turn of events." another goon said.

Someone lunges for Kennin and I shift, knocking the man away, easily. It felt like a fly under his fist. I am in front of the man who smells like sunflowers and blood.

The barmaid yells, "Why are you protecting him, you sow?" her eyes are stunningly filled with hate as her ultranationalism shines through.

"Why not?" I growl.

I pause for a moment and punch three other men who try to approach Kennin. "You are dead meat, old man," I say. "In soaking in your blood, I will sever your head."

Amusement flows over his face. "Huh? I believed that you got that from my lovely wife Gina." he scratches his gray goatee, solid and laughing a bit.

"Lovely?!" I demand. Gina isn't lovely.

He laughs a bit, coughing at the end of his chuckle. "That must have  _been_  a stretch." he brightens up. "You know my wife?"

Unfortunately.

I don't owe him words. I don't owe him a response. Why is he more considerately more vibrant and happy this time around?

I am so close to watching him bleed and die. I am so close to seeing him dead. I want him to be dead. In higher consciousness, I know what to do and why I have to do it.

Every move could wager a war. Ever step could mean a murder. No one kills him before  _I do._

"Everyone, everyone, we must enjoy the company of both the Moto and the Kuromiya get along." A loud, authoritative voice says.

"General Maximillion, Lieutenant Hajime didn't know you were here!" One man clears their throat.

The feel of the bar seems more lively but also a lot tenser. A plethora of dignified, idiot hounds bow to their master.

Hajime, I don't recognize. He has blonde hair but he seems like he'll fall over at any second. Like standing took all of his energy and he's fighting to keep his slanted blue eyes open. He's slouching in his expensive cloak and he doesn't wear his armor but a dagger sticks out. The husky sized man has thin features and thin hair that covers his left eye. His facial features show a man with red eyes and tired movements.

Maximillion... This guy takes care of... redhead. He's the cousin. He's a mountain, has broad shoulders, aquiline features, and the most golden chest armor I've ever seen. His bodily features were exaggerated, all of his muscles and brute strength were highlighted. His hair seems to be held, gelled together by the tears of all these henchmen.

Maximillion shakes his head. "Can a man not enjoy a drink in for a great round of fun and drinks?" he says cheerily, flexing a bit.

Personally, I think he's gross, for defusing the situation. I didn't need to be here longer than I already was. He interrupted me from killing Kennin. He isn't letting me to crush Kennin's spirit. Not letting me rip off his wings, not letting me see the look in his eyes as I break him.

"We must stop fighting amongst ourselves or else we won't have wives to return to. We can't worry them, can we?" he asks loudly.

All the men in the bar get all sheepish but they don't relax enough. The tension makes me look away. What the hell is wrong with these people?

Maximillion looks at me intently and Kennin. "I caught rumors of a very powerful, powerful shinobi wandering the streets of our Empire. As a loyal soldier and servant of the throne, my highest duty is to protect the kingdom from intruders and those who are a threat to the crown? Kisaragi, I thought we agreed upon not starting any chain of events that lead to small-scale bar fights or country sized rebellions."

Kisaragi offers a slight smile and he bows a bit, behind me. "The venerable Maximillion, the best swordsman in all of the Empire, I was just merely strolling through the common realm, visiting my good comrades and investigating their weapons."

"There is no hatred for the throne or its magnificent king?" Maximillion gets his sword out and touches it, and it gives some odd weight to his words.

I narrow my eyes. He's looking for Kennin to swear his loyalty to the pigs and cowards of the fucking royal empire. I just want him to die a steady death. Something that I could comment on and laugh about later on.

"None at all, my magnificent general of the Lead Knights," Kennin nods.

None of his words held any malice and it seemed like he was true to his words. I've never heard a voice so... straightforward and truthful when obviously lying.

"I pledged my allegiance to King Kazuhiro years ago and served him honorably just as you are now." Kennin continues, still sounding sickly sweet.

This situation is making me gag.

He's interrupting me. I lower my sword to look at the bastard at the tip of it. "You are in my way. All of you. Shut up and let me do my thing, Maximillion." I call out, anger weaved into every syllable.

Kennin facepalms and Maximillion's dogs growl, ready for a fight, just bitches trying to defend their corrupt master. Hajime seems ready for a sleepy duel, but he's still angry too.

An animal snarl claws out of his throat. "You are not allowed to speak to him like that, you foo-" he charges and reaches me in a second.

"Shut up, your voice makes me nauseous," I say cruelly as I snap his arm after I flip him. Another bone breaks with a satisfying sound.

They try to overwhelm me with numbers but I pelt them with academy-level techniques. I haven't killed any of these civilians yet. I refuse to call them warriors.

Two more charges from my left and right. I grip their flailing arms and tug. Hard. Their heads ring like bells as they fall to the ground.

A knife glints in my periphery, I sweep under his leg. He crashes down as I use him as a stool for a moment. Using momentum, I clobber the others with kicks.

They unwittingly  _tumble_  like bloody dominoes as I sidestep, dodge and disable them.

Every fight is dull. Diluted by slow weapons and slow movements, it's boring for me.

Nearly yawning, I knee another idiot in the stomach with the round part of my bone. Lifting his whole body up as he coughs a spray of blood. I punch him back onto the ground. As he comes down, my fingers wrap around his neck and suddenly, I  _can't_ -

Why does this remind me when I tried to kick Naruto and that bushy eyebrows guy?

My prey's neck twitches, millimeters away from my pale fingers. Kennin's index finger and thumb restrict my movement as he holds my wrist. It locks up. These men lack talent and skill or at the very least any tatic.

People always think that their heroes are perfect when they've seen them in action or after a win. They bring honor in cutting down the demons that attack  _their people._ Sometimes, I think that perfection is an illusion. I just shattered their illusions.

The whole bar holds their breath.

"I don't appreciate death in bars when you could very much hit the ground by having splendid drinks, ne, my good man?" Kennin asks cheerfully.

"Why stop me?" I grumble, still fighting to get out of that ridiculous stronghold.

"You don't know the gravity of your actions by killing a  _Lead Knight._  You were fighting for leisure with elegance, they fought for survival. Don't make any ill-fated decisions."

I look at the broken tables, broken chairs and the blood seeping onto the ground through their noses and fat busted lips. These are  _Lead Knights_? They're weak. And out of practice. They don't seem to have been trained properly. Maximillion is responsible for this  _shit_?

How fucking lucky for me and any enemy for decides to invade this joke of a country. I get up after brushing the dust off of my shoulder.

"Are you his master? Kennin, this behavior for one of your brutish pupils is  _unacceptable_. He nearly wiped out all of my men!" Hajime, with not such a tired voice, yells. His voice holds power and irritation.

I stand taller. You cannot fight if you aren't ready to die.

Hajime stomps his foot, face beet red. Suddenly, the one-eyed lieutenant seems like a dark, mostly dormant volcano readying itself to blow.

Kennin, oddly calm, says; "I have merely just met him, however, I take full responsibility for his actions."

I look at the lead knights who wither on the ground. Idiots. I lift one of their arms, testing if it would fall like a bag of rice. It did. All of them are out cold.

I crouch, trying to inspect if they're still breathing. It would be satisfying if one of them died because they couldn't put up a fight.

"I didn't have to draw my sword on them, they are not worthy of being Lead Knights. Get yourself better ones before someone who doesn't have clemency uses chakra and their sword." I call out to the man beside Maximillion.

"The isolence of you! Learn how to address your superiors! I do not care if you are a foreigner, respect your elders. Apologize," Hajime yawns through his lecture. "or I will have you crucified, boy."

He can't do shit. I feel like spelling it out. None of these idiots could touch me.

"Crucify me." I stand to my full height. "Or at least try. I haven't  _had_ a good warm-up yet in ages. I'm out of practice. This will shed the rust off of my sword, Lieutenant."

Hajime nearly blows his top and his jaw drops to the floor. "Y-you bastard! Ge-general Maximillion, do something!"

Hajime's just a fussy little guy who'll have his balls kicked off if he never shuts up. When it comes down to it, he won't take action. He's too dependent on the big bad Maximillion to settle his disputes.

I focus on Maximillion, wondering if I will have to draw my sword. I haven't had much fun and a lot of my pent-up energy has been wasted. I'm pretending to fight Kennin. I have a supercut of moves and techniques I'd use to make him suffer. I've used two or three on these small clowns.

When will I get to the big fish? Will Maximillion be violent? Poised? Brutish?

I can't tell. He has muscles and he's gigantic but he seems quick enough to carry a sword. A normal Jian type was sixty-three centimeters. His was at least two meters long. That takes a while to master.

What will he do? What will he say? His expression on his chiseled face is unreadable. His eyes roam mine, his staid expression offering a cold chill down my back.

Hajime stomped his foot like a small child would. "General! Do-"

Maximillion silently holds up his hand to his inferior, finally looking like he had emotions. His hand is probably bigger than my shoulder blade. Holy fuck.

"You amuse me, kid. Your attitude needs a fix but  _you_ amuse me." General Maximillion says, smug and oddly not scared. "If you fought my loyal men without these boundaries or with that threatening weapon, a lot of us would be done for."

"Wh-what?! Surely this strikes you as odd and unacceptable! You cannot so much as look his way or go to the very extremes and praise this stranger! He and his rags don't understand our culture or the need, no obligation to be cordial in situations such as these!" Hajime yells at Maximillion.

"We cannot expect our enemies to have clemency  _or_ manners in combat. Enemies are enemies and they always fight for one cause, selfish or noble. Their actions and fighting styles will reflect that." Maximillion crosses his beefy arms.

I like the way he shot that pipsqueak down.

Maximillion looks at the men groaning on the floor. "Men, men, that young man is whom you will verse in the world of combat, gore, and violence. War doesn't wait until you are ready, you must be ready for war or men who embody her cruel characteristics."

"You shouldn't defend his actions, Maximillion-senpai," Hajime's face falls until anger takes a hold of his twitching expression.

Hajime composes himself, just barely, and clears his throat. He holds his stiff posture and puts his hands behind his back, his eyes closed in irritation. "You should be punished. Raising your sword against Lead Knights is a federal offense and will be punished accordingly."

What? "I am not a citizen or a participant in this miserable world of ranks, war and Lead Knights." I cross my arms.

"This young man shouldn't be punished for  _defendin_ g myself against those who raised hands against him. He knows nothing of the Moto and Kuromiya." Kennin says gently.

With his volume and calm movements, he makes Hajime seem like an irrational, crazed beast. It's almost like he's not bargaining but lecturing  _Hajime._

"Rules are rules and laws are laws!" Hajime insists, clenching his teeth.

"Forgive him, an outsider with no knowledge of proper conduct in the Empire," Kennin slides in front of me. "Sir Hajime the Strong, this young man is interested in learning the ins and outs of the Empire, a foreigner, forgive any mistakes for his poor misdemeanors. He is but a child learning to step quietly instead of causing earthquakes."

"Do not speak for me until you are reduced to the despair you caused those you killed to die." I whisper lowly.

Kennin steps back for a moment, debating whether or not to say something else. Instead, he takes a neutral route and looks at Hajime. For once, his smile disappeared. "Allow him to be corrected by myself."

Maximillion just sighs before looking at his right-hand man. "This situation is quite primed for someone to become a great soldier if he doesn't limit himself. Young man, if we ever cross paths, I might offer you a job and feed meat to the tiger."

I don't want a job here.

He casually strolls up to me during his talk and I narrow my eyes. He looks like an ox ready for battle as he stops before me. "You may rise through the ranks if you lose your attitude. You may become strong if arrogance doesn't limit you."

I shake my head. "Arrogance is a strength. It separates warriors from mere ant-like  _competitors_."

He whistles and a wonderful white smile graces his stupid, big fat face. "That arrogance will make some big names jealous if you plan to stay here. Choose which side you want to champion with." He looks at the men on the ground. "I'll send men to get their wives or take them back to the infirmary." 

Ha. Infirmary. 

He steps over them and grunts. "Watch his step before anything else happens and ruins our chances at peace, Kennin. We still have some unfinished business." Maximillion says loudly, not looking back.

Maximillion quietly leaves the bar. All of the men, in protest of  _me_ and the asshole Kennin trail behind him like ducklings. I shake my head.

"This isn't over, brat." Hajime snarls after catching up to his superior.

"Oh, shut up attention seeking asshole." I hiss when Hajime waddles by.

It's quiet and the rude barmaid nudges a man she seems to know. Many others loom around, uncertain of what to do. The chairs and tables are wrecked but there are some things left standing. Some don't care about the violence, indulging in their alcohol and conversation. Bar fights are more extreme when there are shinobi. It's just a fact.

Kennin watches them go. "The universe always will make someone to observe her, men who can fight and enemies of those men. The surest win comes when the opponents leave. It's just a matter of when she will punish those who haven't been looking to know that battles are for the most part meaningless." A smile illuminates his face after the quite dark words. "Let's have a chat."

I glare in response. I'll be a man and make this right.

* * *

-End Chapter-

 **Character Inventory & ** **Vocab**

 **Uchiha Sasuke** \- sharingan user, s-class Shinobi who seeks revenge on anyone against his ideals. He hates soybeans, worked at a Library and got a prosthetic arm after many complaints.  
**Kennin Kisaragi** \- killer of 14 Uchiha, expert swordsman, owner of yagami and a member of the Black Shrine. Was strong and notable enough to become a  
**Morino Gina** \- vengeful ex-wife of Kennin, mother of two children with Morino Ibiki and has a hatred for traitors.  
**Moto Ken'ichi** \- the cowardly third prince in the Moto royal family who wants to become king to defeat his enemies. He mostly stops the bullies when his faithful guard isn't around.  
**Maximillion-**  the chief of the Lead Knights and Ken'ichi's cousin.  
**King Takamaru The Great** \- the king of the Empire, Ken'ichi's father and the one who signed the Reconciliation Treaty.

**Vocab**

 

**Kuromiya** \- the surrounding villagers and clan who practice in the Black Temple Academy and live in the region.  
**Black Temple Academy** \- where young people of all ages go to practice and perfect their swordsman skills. Also, to be spiritual.  
**Lotus Rock Crew or Shinobi** \- those who engage in combat to protect the Black Temple Academy.

**Moto** \- the shortened version of the Miyamoto clan/people.  
**Common realm** \- almost seventy-nine percent of the population of Moto and Kuromiya people live in the lower part of the  
**Noble realm** \- where the castle stands, the Lead Knights train, and where the nobles, aristocrats and the royal family live.  
**R** **econciliation Treaty-** a treaty signed by the leaders of the Empire who allowed access to the common realm

**Yagami** \- forged by Kennin Kisaragi, an eight-pronged sword with a golden handle. It glows red and blue depending on the morality of the actions Sasuke _or_ any swordsman takes.  
**Empire-** the regime of the Moto and the name of the government.  
**Lead Knights** \- similar to shinobi but without chakra. They defend the Empire from shinobi and threats to the royal Moto family.  
**The Hill** \- the slang word for the mountains the people of the Empire live on. The country's name, essentially.  
**Moto people** \- those who support and are of the Miyamoto clan.


	4. Offerings

**Last time in Humbling The Uchiha:**

Kennin watches them go.

"The universe always will make someone to observe her. It's just a matter of when she will punish those who haven't been looking." A smile illuminates his face after the quite dark words. "Let's have a chat."

I glare in response. I'll be a man and make this right.

* * *

 **Humbling The Uchiha:**  
**Temples & Shinobi**

-Chapter 4-  
Offerings

KENNIN LOOKS LIKE HE HAS NOTHING TO CONFESS.

We sit at a table with a drink in my hand. I can't escape the flowery scent and the awful iron of blood that consumes the area.

Everyone stares at us, waiting, watching, scrutinizing. They're like a dark cloud of feathers, bird shit and I don't care.  
I let them say what they want, I can't hear it.

Every move he makes forces me to be on guard. I know he is capable of killing jonin and certain civilians. Most of the Uchiha he killed weren't female, small, children or even civilians. He... killed Uchiha that worked with my father.

The light is dim and I notice how bleak and sullen the bar really is. It's all shadows. Kennin still looks curious but light. It throws me off.

"Can you explain why you want to kill me?" Kennin asks, all loud and annoyingly peaceful.

"Uchiha Junio, Uchiha Isamu, Uchiha Ai, Uchiha Kiato, Uchiha Kiyoshi, Uchiha Koharu, Uchiha Yui, Uchiha Yuuri, Uchiha Ren, Uchiha Takihiro, Uchiha Minoru, Uchiha Masao, and Uchiha Eto... The fourteen you killed. I want revenge. I will fight you. I will win. You will die. My purpose has been fulfilled."

Saying their names gave me cuts in my mouth.

All the pain, sadness and difficult emotions aren't gone. There's no sense of relief since their lives, smiles and opportunities have been stolen.

He strokes his beard, leaning back in his seat. He's comfortable. "Ah. That is why you have sought me out. Most people's hearts would perish out of fear and pressure due to your killing intent. Is that why you hate me?" he laughs a little bit, darkly.

It makes me feel like an ice-cube. He's laughing... at all those deaths. He isn't taking responsibility.

I nod. "I hate your warmth, I hate the look in your eye. I hate the way you sit casually and pretend everything is alright. I wanted to see red across your throat but I see the white of your stupid teeth, the sonorous and imposing sound of your laugh that came from the cave of your mouth." I smack my hand against the table. "Did you laugh at all those Uchiha died? Did you laugh as you fled Konoha to this national dump? Are you going to laugh as you are impaled on my sword?!"

Kennin clears his throat, sitting taller. "Uchiha-"

"Don't say the very name! I don't understand  _why_ you get to be happy when they're all dead, kissing dirt because of the revenge you wanted. You are the reincarnate of the fiends who wanted to have all the power in the world. You killed one of the Uchiha... If maybe, maybe they had survived, would have stayed with me and we could've avenged the Uchiha and killed you. Together. But they're all gone, you threw away their lives like they were nothing. I hate you. I hate you."

I am panting with my anger and all of my energy was taken out by those haunting words. I can't stay here, across from him and pretend it's all right. It's wrong. I hate him. I hate him so much.

The look in his eyes soften. "I understand," he says resolutely.

He doesn't seem harrowed or cowed by my words or anything. He... relates, he understands. I can't hide my contempt. I counted the days I've survived and now I will be rewarded for living this long.

Fuck. The liquor doesn't help. I want to be grounded and calm but I can't. Alcohol was supposed to help. It's silent as I chug my drink. It burns my throat but that's a distant sensation. I can't get out of this.

I smash the glass cup onto the ground. The glass slivers ricochet into the air. I need more liquor. I need to break something more. I want to break his face.

Kennin doesn't so much as flinch. The room seems to spin. This place is too small to take my rage.

The whole bar is withdrawn and mute and the glass shattering sounds like a canon.

"It's my responsibility to protect the masses from someone like you." I seethe, pointing to him.

He perks up. "You want to save everyone? The world?" Kennin asks, tilting his head.

What the hell does that have to do with anything?

"Whatever, yes. Any shinobi that doesn't take that burden isn't a shinobi at all." I snap.

Kennin sighs a bit. The first time, he looks worried. "I would love to give you peace. In your eyes, I see someone who could smile with their mouth but not their eyes. It's nice that you want to save the world but it's okay if you save one person and that person is yourself."

"Don't fucking tell me what to do," I snap.

There is no saving myself. I crossed that mark a long time ago. I was born by the devil and I leave hell behind everywhere I go. I like it like that. I like doing that. This is probably the only thing I am doing right and he won't let me kill him. We're just talking. I hate talking. I can't take him anymore.

I grind my teeth and curl my fist. "Do you think you could solve this with words? My hard work won't betray me. I gained all this jutsu, broken bones and hate just to refine my resolve- to defeat any who oppose the Uchiha. You won't ever sever the bonds of my hate for they will be unbreakable."

"Alright, but I cannot die until one of my missions have been fulfilled."

"What mission?" Every word felt like a chore. Why delay this?

Kennin looks at me intently. Sorrow almost swallows up all of his words and a rasp appears. He doesn't seem like a man anymore. He looks like he's crumbling.

"A massacre of my  _people_ has occurred. It has been administrated by Lord Kazuo and Lady Koneo about two weeks ago The  _Black Temple Academy_  has been shocked as most of our senior and junior students have been struck down. Parents of our younger students, some as little as three months have perished and hopefully ,have been reborn." he finishes with a small prayer.

There's so much death. I don't feel any affinity towards those people but they were wrongfully persecuted. I could relate.

"Our Academy also serves as a place to become spiritually invincible, learn the ways of shinobi and true swordsmen and to also home those who have nowhere else to go. We pride ourselves on being open to both Kuormiya and the Miyamoto but the Moto have no allowed us peace in centuries. They believe we are outdated, archaic and a threat to the modernity since we do not adhere to their... ideals."

"Why would they kill all the adults? Why not all of you?"

"We all live for forgiveness and for peace. A closed mouth doesn't get fed and a bowl that isn't empty can never be filled. That's what I taught my fallen comrades. Lord Kazuo believes us older Kuromiya distort the harmony."

I look away. They all distort the fucking peace. Him not wanting to die  _distorts_ my peace.

"They are the generation who has known adversity, learned knowledge and sacrificed their times to perfect their jutsu and hone their skills. Lord Kazuo knew this all too well. They were the generation who could fight back and of course, rebel against his reign. We are a happy, isolated people but he believes we will be the undoing of his mighty nation."

Pfft. Of course.

"Those who settled here, civilians were tired of being inferior to shinobi. Many other civilian communities found this community and allowed the population to flower. There are seldom shinobi here in the Empire compared to other countries." he smiles a bit. "The Tsuchikage can't do anything to help his comrades, either."

That small kage I fought? He has cool jutsu but I didn't think he was this weak or this much of a pushover. He can't even help his people? Dirt... All governments are dirt.

He looks at me for a little. "As you've guessed by now, many civilians project their anger and loss onto others. There are many wars and we shinobi are reckless in our fights. The civilians tend to blame shinobi for the many casualties." he shrugs. "What can you do when it's partially the truth?"

So these idiots believe we're the reason their population gets shaved down so easily. Interesting and valid. Shinobi are stronger, faster and other-worldly. That's why they made an entire country that punishes shinobi or those born with chakra. Their potential is stifled.

"So, the Moto feel we're  _diseases_? Even though we protect them from the real dangers?" I ask. Such assholes.

He shrugs again, looking pained. "Emotions aren't inherently wrong or right... They're simple emotions and they have the right to feel that way. However, they do not allow the small number of shinobi that there is to be shinobi. Use of chakra is forbidden. They balk at nations who have kages. They take to everything from the east. They have knights and kings. They treat us as lesser as so."

Damn... Why can't we just fight back? We're shinobi, right? Our lives were made to be tools for the village. Why can't we do that?

I look at yagami and sigh a bit. "Why the hell is that so?" I growl.

He thinks for a moment. "Many "shinobi" choose to be without chakra to live, fit in with the Moto, who have power in numbers. Many choose to ignore their chakra tendencies too. Most of the shinobi here are genin level because their family's chakra quantity has been diluted since the shinobi who chose to start families with non-shinobi."

I know it's a huge thing to marry or specifically date shinobi for the passing on of jutsu or dojutsu in my case. The purer the bloodlines are, the stronger their jutsu is. I know Konoha is filled with women with strong jutsu but these people in Iwagakure or the Empire want their offspring's chakra to be almost undetectable.

So they could be safe and not be an enemy of the crown. There's this sinking feeling in my chest. I just came here to be an assassin and he won't let me be killed. And I am shaking with anger. Fuck.

"Are... shinobi called Kuromiya... Are they hunted?" I ask.

"Yes," Kisaragi says plainly, without a shadow of a doubt.

I mask my expression before he sees too much.

He sighs. "Now you see my  _problem_. Mostly all the adults have been executed for their "crimes". Our community shrunk. Ridden with grief and confusion, the younger students will have seldom teachers. No sensei to cultivate their chakra skills along with the mastery of the sword. I have a moral obligation to see to it that they graduate from the program in two years. Then, you shall kill me."

I was faced with a bomb that could explode in my face or in the crowd of about a thousand people. All this information is hypnotic and nauseating. We aren't even talking without regret or judgment. I hate that. It's  _horrible_. I care.

It reminds me of hopeless situations with hopeless people. I don't have to help Kisaragi, he's fucking useless. A bag of wrinkles and the killer of Uchiha. These shinobi have done...  _nothing_.

All of this got dumped onto my lap. I am so confused as to what to do. Why should I help him? Why should I help such a man with the likes of Kennin? I hate it.

"My friend told me modern life is war," I sigh.

"Only if you choose to battle."

Will Kennin fight for this? Was he a coward?

I can't just let those people die. They're getting hunted and they're already subpar shinobi. They're literally defenceless. I want to kill him but I want to save those who were born into the wrong circumstances in the wrong country.

But Kennin... has to die.

But I wanted to... help people. Why should I save myself when I want to save everyone? I am repulsed by the aspect of helping Kennin but I am going to help those people.

I can't get slipped into silly moods and have any forgiveness. Turbulent brilliance and hate that I have with him are just... awful. If I thought about it too much, I would never make a decision.

I sigh because the words give me severe anxiety. I can't function if I look at him in the eye. This is a commitment I am making to them. If I help them, I will allow them to live, then maybe... maybe I'll be doing a good thing for once.

"I'll help those in need and kill you when it's over. Yeah, I'll wait two years." I nod.

Though not ideal, it's workable.

"I'll show you the Temple and Academy so you will always know where I am." he smiles.

"Don't expect me to stay in this community." I snap. He shouldn't expect me to help or do any of that nonsense.

There's an odd pause when he goes over his options. My body is all tired but my stomach is filled with excitement. Why is that? Why do I feel like something will happen?

"Do you have some kind memories? Highlight them when you are near, in the temple for I think you will find it to be habitually dull."

"Some say I am a waste of a hulking brute. Kisaragi, you have such a sweet voice but you bring death and your words are annoying. Why aren't you fighting me?" I demand.

"We clash to protect what's important about us. We fight to win but I don't fight those battles. I have no desire to hurt someone with a past filled with pain and horror. Besides, I think you are busy fighting your demons and solitude, young man."

I pound the table. "Don't make assumptions and leave my problems alone. Solitude makes the heart grow fonder." I cross my arms. Fucking prick.

He strokes his chin. "Solitude is important but the heart grows lonely and bitter, without a reason to beat... if one has no others to lean on."

"You can't live being addicted to other people's company! You get prepared for premeditated disappointment. You know nothing, Kisaragi," I sneer.

He chuckles a bit. "You sound like my students... before entering the temple."

"I am not your fucking student, old man."

"I know, I know. I don't mind living on bread and oranges but I know some things. Nothing vast and important, though. Happiness and knowledge never get heavy carrying." he nods to himself.

"Then why did you kill them?" I hiss, every word dipped in venom. "Happiness and those who chase for something so elusive are stupid. Those who are happy are weak and deluded into thinking this place isn't terrible."

Kisaragi snaps out of his thoughtless calm and looks confused. "Happiness makes people weak? Doesn't it take strength and endurance to be content in a place that makes them question their values?"

I look at him carefully. "They're weak because they live in delusions."

Kisaragi strokes his beard. "If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present. You mustn't live in the past or worry about the future... That's all I wish."

"Don't tell me what the fuck to do," I tense up. I don't take orders from people like him! Kisaragi is reckless with lives. I can't believe a word he says.

"Everyone needs a chance to forgive themselves. We mustn't shatter the road between darkness and light. Sometimes, it happens. There are no good or bad people, there are just people. Anyone could be pushed too far given the chance."

I shake my head.

"We find what we need at the temple. The home, heart, and sanctuary. We get remedies and sustenance from there. We take refuge in that." he continues.

"Don't preach shit to me. If I stay anywhere, there has to be running water or at the very least  _electricity._ "

"If you have peace, then you have everything you need," Kennin says seriously.

I fight the urge to throw up and punch him. "I used to beat up preachers like you, did you know that?"

Kennin chuckles. "What should I call you?"

"Sasuke. Not  _Uchiha_. If any of your men say that name, I will personally cut them down myself."

He looks at me intently then looks at the ceiling. "A tragedy is never something that can be healed with time or money... but we will persevere... The Kuromiya are a liberal, resilient people."

"Where exactly is your village?" I snap because he's talking too much and he annoys me.

"Oh. Prepare yourself for it's deep in the mountains. You can handle a little incline, right?"

I glare at him. "Don't say dumb shit. Don't  _make_  me get violent."

"A little teasing never hurt any-"

"I always go too far!"

He gets cut off. "Where my castle is...  _Hmmm_."

Why won't he answer the fucking question?

It was deep in the mountains. That's where his stupid temple is. Deep in the boulder stained, unstable, creaking mountains shrouded by forests. Mist gropes its way past tree branches and the creatures that hide within ourselves.

I actually  _hate myself_ for getting into these far-fetched, unusual situations that benefit no one other than the God who fuck with my life and my enemies.

I have my pack of stuff and yagami. I refused to take the sword until I realize how it came alive around Kisaragi.

All in all, I am shocked that Kisaragi would allow himself to die. I'm not looking to save everyone, I just have an obligation to do this.

We walk through the forest and a woman, short and stout, bothers me. Hollis has a shaved head with green eyes. She makes shallow, fairly obvious statements and hopes that her hate catches fire on me.

She has lines around her mouth, probably from yelling or doing whatever the fuck prude bitches do. Hollis probably fantasized about my death. Her figure is lost somewhere in her curves and her pack simply holds food for Kisaragi, not herself.

She constantly trips over tree roots, she leaves trails, she can't keep up with me and Kisaragi. She's also panting. This is no more than a light jog. We've only gone twelve kilometres this morning, why can't she handle the distance?

The air tastes like bitter, rotten fruit. The monotony of the green, the brown and the mountain that didn't sink or get taller bores me.

"Master," Hollis days after hours of cutting me an evil side-eye.

Kisaragi could actually hold his own. He wasn't a bad sh- Kuromiya. He was much more agile and fluid in his movements than Hollis was.

"My dear Hollis, I keep on telling you and telling you to call me sensei like the rest of the students." he reminds her gently.

"Master, I don't understand  _why_ you chose  _him_ to accompany us to sacred ground," Hollis complains loudly. "We are going home and people are  _waiting_ for us. No one knows who he is. He worries me as you worry me, master. I want to see the brilliance in your eyes. He isn't very good at anything."

I'm better at keeping my footing, dumb idiot.

Kisaragi shakes his head a bit. "Hollis, he is returning with us."

"Why?" she demands.

"I discovered he is an excellent swordsman." Kisaragi wets his lips, preparing for an argument with this idiot teen girl.

Suddenly, it reminds me of Karin arguing with Orochimaru about dumb shit. She could be a real pain in the ass.

"We don't need help from  _outsiders_!" she looks at me. "The kids can't trust this man. His chakra, his aura seems evil! He will hurt somebody."

I am shocked she knows what chakra is or moreso that Kisaragi showed the slightest bit of hesitation.

This forces Kisaragi to stop on the branch. Hollis doesn't have enough skill to stop on her own to feed off of momentum and  _jump past him._ She clobbers into him and bounces off.

She's falling off of the thick branch. Yeah, plunging to her doom. We're pretty high up off the ground. I wonder how long it'll take for her to break her fibula.

One thing I've learned from the library is that books aren't all that different from people; they both have weak, flimsy spines, know and bring up topics no one gives two fucks about and break easily when dropped.

And Hollis braces herself, a perfect expression of terror on her face. "Maaaast-"

Like some sort of spring, Kisaragi launches off of the branch to catch her flailing arms. Safely, Kisaragi nestles her in his beefy arms. This sets her upright. She draws blood from holding onto his wrists so tightly.

Her face is red and she's breathing heavily. She would have fallen like an apple. Not that I would have minded.

"Careful, now," Kisaragi says.

She presses her forehead to Kisaragi's chest. "Thank you. I will be careful. For you..."

Kisaragi nods. Maybe they aren't just student and teacher. I think there's more but that's annoying, so I look away.

I leap away to a branch that's higher than the one where the idiots were. I look down at her.

"Nice  _going_ , twinkle toes." I sneer.

"I almost fell to my death and  _you_  of all people patronize me?" Through laboured pants, Hollis openly growls at me.

What if Kisaragi fell to his death  _because_  of her? She wasn't worth me losing my only means of revenge. I wanted to get the satisfaction of killing him, not the shrubs and the twigs.

I shrug. "At least you would've watered the plants and it would rain your blood."

Hollis' jaw drops. "He is a terrible influence on the children. I can't let my kids get swallowed by the torrent of abuse he may cause!"

Baldy has kids that are  _alive_? She looks mightily young to have kids. I'm only  _eighteen_ and I hate the snot-nosed brats. No wonder they're miserable if they have a parent like her. She has multiple children or she's talking about her students. Either way, it makes me see her in an entirely different shine of light.

"When one is nothing but crime, the Empire condemns them. Us Kuromiya accepts them." Kisaragi tells her.

I am nothing but crime and I am right here. This is unnecessarily cruel in terms of how they're talking about me. But what do I care about their opinions?

She warily looks down at the shrubs and darkness swelling below us. "That's not very safe, is it?" Hollis snaps, a real whip's lick.

"I believe that he will be a fine addition to the Kuromiya family for he has a plethora of skills. Hollis, we mustn't be hostile towards others."

"Master! You are being bloody confusing! Excuse me for being loud and disrespectful but he has no business being around the greatness that is  _our_  temple-"

They argue like an old married couple and we descend lower, near to the ground when the rolls of fog turn in another direction. The sunshine makes everything fester and hot. How I hate the sun.

The air smells like blood and I find scraps of clothing, stained with the blood from someone who died.

"We shouldn't allow people  _like him_  into our safe space, it's preposterous!" Hollis half-shouts.

"Hollis-" Kisaragi tries to soothe her but she's still spitting rage.

I look away.

This is a wide road, straightforward and dusty. Many people's footprints and columns of dusty shallow cuts from wheels of wagons. Many people walk through here.

There are enemies nearby, hiding in the flora of the lined trees. If the idiots behind me would shut up, they would have noticed. I draw my sword. I fight the urge to shout at the idiots for being so loud.

The bandits know we're here since Baldy accidentally  _screamed_ for help when falling. They aren't good at masking their presence. Well, Hollis wasn't.

With the carts and bandwagons roaming and circling around us, I realized they're bandits.

Them- a shadow emerges from the dark and onto the gravel trail. Hollis leaps in the air, sword erect and deadly. She twirls on her heel and slashes through two enemies' hearts.

The rest of the uncoordinated hicks let out a battle cry, screaming with every inch of them. The forest swarms with different men of all sizes.

Hollis jumps over the two falling bodies and flips the two others. She drags her sword across throats and swiftly dodges the clubs and filthy weapons.

The group was uncoordinated. It's strange that they thought they could overwhelm me or Kisaragi and -surprisingly- Hollis with their numbers. If they lack skill, a whole army is useless.

Hollis is like a butterfly effortlessly disarming the rowdy wildebeests who just learned to walk.

Once they all fall, she closes her eyes. "I wasn't talking any of to you!" Hollis twists her blade before sighing. "Now my sword is bloodied. Tch."

She whips her sword. The blood lands with a splat on the moss.

"Good job. They died painlessly," Kisaragi compliments, but his comments are  _shallow_ and strange.

Hollis smiles. "I thought they would leave us be since we didn't engage in any confrontation. I wanted to help. Not harm, like you've always said." she looks at him with adoration. "Thank you."

They settle down.

"Why'd they attack us?" I ask simply. "I thought this was the land of peace and serenity."

Hollis' smile disappears when she looks at me. I am shocked she had such technique and... I can't just kill her quietly if she annoys me too much. She's getting to that level soon.

"I hate you, sir. You are not the true successor of the Temple. Even if you have been accepted, that doesn't mean you have any of my respect," Hollis' words in a chilling tone.

I feel they are as cold as hot boiling tea. She wants to think she can kill me but she can't. I don't know if anyone but Itachi or Naruto could.

Fuck. Itachi just makes me tense up. I instinctively check my surroundings. Everything gets hazy as a dull wind blows right through me.

The thought of Itachi makes a rush of hate and wintry winds. He's like a slow moving, slow drowning and slow melting glacier that just floats in my mind. I hate him so much for killing all those people. Then I hate Konoha for being the instigator it was and staring this madness.

Konoha has to pay but I'm the only one being punished. It's very strange.

Never mind.

Hollis is still staring at me before huffing and looking at a dumb plant or tree. Something. She's unnaturally ferocious because of a sword?

I look at the bandits. Their bodies are still warm. It will probably stay warm due to the climate and the weather.

"Why are there bandits  _here_  anyway?" I ask loudly.

Hollis points her glinting sword at me. "You want to know of our culture? Our answers? Our people. You are despicable."

I tilt my head. She's obviously a jagoff.

Kennin gives her a semi-stern look that she brushes away with a huff. "They believe that  _Kuromiya_ aren't equipped enough to defend themselves in a case of an attack."

I sigh a bit. Smart.

They attacked the Kuromiya knowingly. This is a well-known path towards their Black Temple City, as they called it. Miyamoto attack when they know their enemies are weak and low in numbers.

"Aren't you guys an elite swordsmen academy? You are primed for attack." I accuse.

"Most of our dwindling numbers are of the younger generations and those of the older generations have been jaded by lord Kazuhiro's strict ruling. Some have given up the sword. Others aren't ready for dirty attacks and tricks."

Hollis clicks her tongue. "Once you are at my palace, you will see you are not equipped for  _attacks_ and tricks because of that sword."

I look away. And what's this talk about me being the successor to the temple? Really old temples are meant to be torn down, as they are nothing more than hunks of brass and painted wood, as Orochimaru said.

I never associated value or worth in temples because they're the physical manifestation of blind loyalty towards a thought or book or way of life.

They have a school of shinobi who are dying to protect such a pile of junk, it's insane.

But I am not a successor to anything or for anyone. I just need to know where the hell the place is so I can return in two years after spending time in-

Er, I don't actually know. I said I would return to Konoha when my mission is done but it isn't so simple. I don't know why that place popped up. In my list of destinations, it shouldn't be.

The two idiots start looming over the dead bodies.

I turn away. Maggots will soon infest their wounds or they'll be good chew toys for scavengers. Who cares?

Kisaragi clears his throat and Hollis starts chanting something strange. Something weird and foreign.

It takes me a moment to put two and two together. They're looking over the bodies, delivering rites and sermons. I stop dead in my tracks.

"Why are you praying for those you've killed?" I snap, torn between anger and shock.

They have every right to die? They attacked us. They  _did_ the unspeakable and the bandits  _died._ They don't get any privileges or immunities from their actions. It's basically us just paying tribute to the bad actions we've done, if we pray.

Hollis' slanted eyes twitch. "I'm hoping for safe passage. If we don't pray, who will?"

"Their family." I shake my head. I stand there and kick a body a bit, by accident. "I don't have time for your spiritual  _bullshit_. Let's go."

Kisaragi says, "The sun shines on those who do evil, just as it does for those who are good. It rains on those who are evil and those who are not. Be good to those who are evil to you."

"What?  _Why_?" I say, in honest confusion and hurt. They're fucking with me. I'm stuck with this.

Kisaragi smiles a bit. "You have so much to learn."

What an ass... What a bunch of wusses and dumbasses who like to be pushovers. Kennin and Hollis annoy me the rest of the way there. They don't kill again. I have a feeling what they did back there was a one-time thing. They don't really kill unless necessary.

They wouldn't even move during the rain in fear of hurting the damn worms. They meditate. They chant. They eat plain-ass food. They even light candles. They didn't bring salt and other condiments but they bring useless, half-finished candles that sound like popping grease when lit?

 _Really_?

I even crushed up my medicine from Tsunade and sprinkled it on the rice to make it a bit more interesting. To have more flavour and to act as a damn seasoning.

They sing songs, they talk like there's something to say and I listen because it's boring.

They talk about what they'll do when they get back to the temple. I pick up on different names but I don't bother remembering them.

I think Kisaragi believes death isn't  _very_ permanent. I watched the sun fall and rise. I didn't know the sky was so blue. Was it always this hot?

This place sure isn't filled with buildings and bright lights and street vendors. It had the opposite; caves, grottos, rolling hills, crystal clear streams and stretches of forests so vast and wide, it looks like a mural-like painting.

Hollis prances around like the bunny she is. "Oh, how sweet the air is!"

I sink a little into the grass. The air smells like shit. Their enthusiasm is giving me  _a rash._ Just out in the distance, a little hut or adamantine rock is there. It strikes me as poignant and I hate that I don't know what it is.

"What is that? A bunch of s _ticks_?" I suggest.

"That is home," Kisaragi chuckles. "They might be sticks but it is home."

Hollis glares at me. "What is your name, anyway? Your family name. Maybe I could scold your father for giving you terrible manners."

"My blood. My father would probably kill you." I say evenly. It's the truth.

"All the more reason to talk to him." Hollis huffs.

I pause and look at her. Does she not have common sense? Was the fight between her last two brain cells not interesting enough so she had to spread her astute stupidity elsewhere?

My old man would just kill her after the verbal smack down and silently agree with all the criticism she listed out and prepared. Then he would have come home, ate something mom made and  _fucking_ audibly spew the same crap.

I just gaze back at the place. I don't talk to her as I launch through the forest, no more than a blur of black. It will burn. I think it will be of my flame.

I kind of understand the wide disparity between Kuromiya and the Moto; Kuromiya City or whatever basically looks like a stick village instead of a paradise.

Sure, the lawns are manicured with the collection of cozy-looking houses and steeples roofs but- is this worth protecting? The Empire has a whole orchestra of beautiful rocks and houses and different architecture. The houses here are  _medieval_  at best and there are wells everywhere.

Kisaragi and Hollis are just fucking weird if they think this place is worth coming back to.

However, the slight breeze picks up in the grassy area and it smells like purely charred incense. A brief woman's perfume of some type. Seductive and oddly wholesome.

Flowers are everywhere with the flora overpowering the gray bleakness. All around me are grand stitches of unfinished art, waiting to be pulled together to make  _sense._

A large stone structure beside the temples, a face, a smiling face and it's the happiest thing in miles. Why was the man beaming? I don't know.

The outside was blood red and massive.

The wooden temple was impressive in size but looks like it hadn't been cleaned in a while. There was a pinnacle at the top, so that was something to close my eyes and shut up about. The structure has the most details, complicated walkways and the designs symbolize something odd. I can't put my finger on it.

The tiered buildings have eaves and swooping roofs with fat tiles.

It all quite disgusts me.

This is where Kisaragi had been hiding for these past ten years? Why have they sheltered this man? Given him a place to sleep and live and be comfortable. He acts as though their deaths were optical illusions and nothing mattered. Lives don't matter to him, no matter how kind or whatever he acts like.

I should cut this place up and watch that pain transform them.

Yeah. They're just... enabling him to do whatever in this sodden place.

I want to kill all that makes him happy. I should burn this place. Until everything around here are ashes. It would make for a wonderful white wonderland. Pure and pretty.

Yagami gets plucked from its sheath. I steady myself, power and chakra boiling within me. Two slashes and their impact are all that's needed to bring this place to its knees. I position my fingers then-

A melodic peal of laughter followed by two small things, children in black all run out squealing- doing what kids do.

They're happy. Missing teeth and prancing around without a care in the world, they carry baskets. Cradling them like precious gems.

Their running steps are like knocks on the wooden walkway. They're laughing and it's like glass hitting me. They're all impossibly happy. I don't understand them.

They spot me and the basket soundlessly falls. The younger child of the two quietly clutches her sister's sleeve. They no longer feel safe in their secluded,  _summer canopy._

The older girl positively  _screams._

My ear rings at the loudness of the shriek. Oh. Fuck! She's frozen and I am frozen and her scream dies down.

I think she's going to beg for mercy or at least have the flight response induced but-

But she takes two shurikens and blindly tosses them at me.

They miss.  _Obviously._

When they do miss, she removes out something in a pouch. A white, thick powder invades the surrounding air. It makes a cloud to conceal the two girls as the older one scoops up her toddler sister.

They take off, urgent knocking against the wooden path. Ah. I missed my window of destruction. I don't know when I will look through it again.

I really wanted to break down their beast of a village. The redness just reminded me of blood flow. Violence. The violence I wanted to show these people and the blow flow I wanted to shed.

She used shuriken and metsubushi, being no more than six. This is what they're training their young despite not being at an overt war.

They saw me as the danger. That kind of gave me some hope. I like being the danger as they stood in my view.

Yagami shifts, beautiful and thirty-six inches. That child  _is shorter_ than my sword and it has menacing prongs that could also be compared to lions' teeth.

They're lots of kids at the temple. I was going to cut it  _down._ With... Yagami.

That's what she saw and she's sprinting through the halls, screaming bloody murder.

I stab Yagami into the ground and sigh. This fucking shit.

They're going to call reinforcements and then this small thing is going to become a big thing and I'll have some stupid lecture to think about.

 _Fuck_.

They waste a lot of time doing nothing.

At the entrance of their beloved home, they scrutinize me and look through the fact that I am the problem here.

It's otherwise quiet as the light, hot sultry wind brushes through the trees. There are wind chimes and the clanking of crystals.

They are all frozen in some type of horror and  _shock,_ mouths agape.

I got caught; the two brats approached the adults with swords and weapons and scowls.

I cross my arms and lean against yagami. Blood in my mouth. In my fist. I want to punch somebody. They make me want to punch someone.

Soon enough, Kennin and Hollis arrive.

They watch me, surrounded by thirty-something people. Only twelve are adults and the rest are miscreant children. They all watch me with fangs and narrowed, slit eyes.

A red-faced Hollis leans over to Kisaragi, having enough energy to  _shit on me_ when she's literally about to collapse.

They both ran all the way here. It probably occurred to Kennin that I want him and his support group to all waste away. Most of the time support groups aren't even  _support groups_ , they're just circles of self-hate.

I could destroy them in seconds. That's why he's mildly pleased-looking when he arrives and nothing is damaged.

His blue eyes glow brightly. "Oh... The temple is still...  _here_..." he says, a little winded. His surprise takes away any intelligent sentences. "Not that I thought otherwise."

I sigh unhappily. He just believes in the best in everyone...

"There hadn't been a fight  _yet._ " Hollis scans the crew of idiots and their wolfish behaviour. "I told you he had  _bad_  behaviour. No social intelligence." Hollis adds.

Kisaragi sighs. "That can be forgiven. None of them hurt him."

Pffft. As if.

I roll my eyes at this whole situation. It's as if vomit had a brain, walked on two legs, developed its voice box and lungs then named itself this situation.

The idiots in black are all whispering around me, staring at yagami, staring at me and shaking their heads. They're kind of awed and scared at the same time and I don't know why they're so butthurt about my sword. It's  _mine._

Suddenly, a muttering woman spots Kisaragi. "Oh. Master Kisaragi- you're back!"

I watch them all fall, one by one, to bow to Kisaragi. A brief cheer sounds out and their knees gets dirty.

On the manicured grass, kneeling before him- the people are. I hate it. It reminds me of Kakashi- who deserves the respect and is regarded as a great leader. Kisaragi doesn't deserve the fever of loyalty and he's their venerable leader.

Kisaragi allows three or two small children to run up to him and cuddle his leg. He pats their heads as a father would and smiled a bit.

"Oh, my great people." he croons a bit.

"We've been desperately awaiting your return. We need more news and information about the onslaught and oversight on new projects. We are in desperate need for reimbursements of supplies-"

Kisaragi nods. "Understood, we shall discuss this. Why are you circling this young man."

They all stand up and stop being so formal. "This young man pulled a sword upon Aiko and Fumisuka."

The two small girls who used the deadly, smart techniques shudder behind Kisaragi's legs. Aiko and Fumisuka were there.

"You drew a sword on  _these children_?" Kisaragi just simply asks, not demanding or horrified like he should.

It is pretty shitty and that brat Ken'ichi wants me as a master?  _Why?_  Why? I didn't mean to draw the sword on them- mostly just the temple itself.

"I heard a noise-" I start explaining.

"Master Kennin, you knew about this  _man_?" A man with a soprano voice, loose uniform and odd sideburns says.

I want to slice stupid Sideburns for interrupting me. I was in the process of being an enemy of this town.

I don't need any of these bastards. I know where Kisaragi is, I know how to find this stick village- I don't need any friends.

"Funny. I think of myself as an honorary guest." I shrug casually.

Most of the grown men and women shake their head at my comment.

Sideburns glares at me. A taller, buff man beside him pushes Sideburns aside. He has copper hair and the palest gray eyes I've ever seen. I mistake him for a Hyuuga for a moment.

"This  _intruder_  should not be here." Hyuuga man says.

I shift and just like that, all their swords point at me. I forgot this was an elite Academy.

Kisaragi sighs at the tense situation. I think when confronted with violence, he is all but useless. Is he powerless in watching the blood flow?

"I invited him here." Kisaragi announces.

Everyone gasps. "Invited?" A woman shrieks. "That very well puts all of us ill-at-ease."

I suddenly understand the situation he's  _been_ shoved into. These people are supposed to know their sword and they barely have chakra.

He will make everyone  _hate_ me. I want to be hated.

Even though the Kuromiya are getting hunted, that's really not my problem. I'm not directly involved and I hate the color of this hollow place. The village is behind and around this place- they could reform themselves and get strong. That's what they're meant to do.

They're supposed to be strong enough to survive Kisaragi Kennin's death.

I clear my throat to announce the assassination of their master will be carried out by me. An Uchiha.

Kisaragi shines his bright sky-blue eyes and a storm forms. "Ah. This young man is  _an instructor_ at our Black Temple Academy."

Fuck.

I stop breathing.

"Yes," Kennin continues. "A teacher at the Black Temple Academy."

The wind stops  _and_ they all cry out.

_"That's preposterous!"_

_"He's dangerous!"_

_"We don't need him!"_

_"Just because he has the sword, doesn't mean he is a successor!"_

And oh, my favorite;  _"He isn't one of us and look at his demon eye!"_

It's getting harder to stay as the words clamp onto me like a vice.

I look at Kisaragi sideways because he took the breath out of my open mouth. The whole landscape tilted. This is  _too_ much. It's as if he's making me stay.

My electric, heart-thumping rage was reflected in my raised voice. My jaw clenches and my hands shake.

That wasn't workable. I didn't agree to being a teacher. I will help people from the shadows.

Now that I got here, I didn't feel like being a good Samaritan and he put me in this odd position within their mess.

I didn't feel like cleaning up anything that had to do with this damn temple. I wanted to help in the Empire, where shit is really fucked up. Those Kuromiya  _did_ nothing. These ones sheltered a homicidal maniac with the strength of a kage.

Hollis' red flushing anger gets reflected on her face, mirroring everyone's malevolence.

"Him? First the sword, now he's a permanent teacher and resident at  _our_  temple?" Hollis manages to articulate their collective anger.

"Yes. His name is Sasuke, our twenty-second instructor. You will treat him with the utmost respect and be peaceable with him throughout trysts and tribulations as that is what we do; we do not turn away from others, we stretch out a hand."

Tch. Now I am fucked. Really fucked.

And a bloody teacher.

* * *

-End Chapter-

**Character Inventory & Vocab**

**Uchiha Sasuke-**  sharingan user, s-class Shinobi who seeks revenge on anyone against his ideals. He hates soybeans, worked at a Library and got a prosthetic arm after many complaints.  
**Kennin Kisaragi-**  killer of 14 Uchiha, expert swordsman, owner of yagami and a member of the Black Shrine. Was strong and notable enough to become a  
**Morino Gina-**  vengeful ex-wife of Kennin, mother of two children with Morino Ibiki and has a hatred for traitors.  
**Moto Ken'ichi-** the cowardly third prince in the Moto royal family who wants to become king to defeat his enemies. He mostly stops the bullies when his faithful guard isn't around.  
**Maximillion-**  the chief of the Lead Knights and Ken'ichi's cousin.  
**King Takamaru**  The Great- the king of the Empire, Ken'ichi's father and the one who signed the Reconciliation Treaty.  
**Hollis-**  Mother of two children, instructor and also enamored with Kennin Kisaragi.

**Vocab**

**Moto-**  the shortened version of the Miyamoto clan/people.  
Common realm- almost seventy-nine percent of the population of Moto and Kuromiya people live in the lower part of the  
**Noble realm-**  where the castle stands, the Lead Knights train, and where the nobles, aristocrats and the royal family live.  
Reconciliation Treaty- a treaty signed by the leaders of the Empire who allowed access to the common realm  
**Yagami-**  forged by Kennin Kisaragi, an eight-pronged sword with a golden handle. It glows red and blue depending on the morality of the actions Sasuke or any swordsman takes.  
**Empire-**  the regime of the Moto and the name of the government.  
Lead Knights- similar to shinobi but without chakra. They defend the Empire from shinobi and threats to the royal Moto family.  
**The Hill-**  the slang word for the mountains the people of the Empire live on. The country's name, essentially.  
**Moto people-**  those who support and are of the Miyamoto clan.  
Shrine people- those who come from the second, the more religious country outside of the regime. Also the more derogatory term for the Kuromiya clan.  
**Kuromiya-**  the surrounding villagers and clan who practice in the Black Temple Academy and live in the region.  
**Black Temple Academy-**  where young people of all ages go to practice and perfect their swordsman skills. Also, to be spiritual.  
**Lotus Rock Crew or Shinobi** \- those who engage in combat to protect the Black Temple Academy.


End file.
